Of recent, inhabitants of Bamenda 1 and elsewhere in the region have been accusing the delegation of state property and land tenure of issuing multiple land titles for the same piece of land.
This has prompted the regional delegate to make a media statement dismissing allegations of issuing several land titles to a single piece of land favoring wealthy people at the detriment of the poor.
In an interview on state media, Nicolas Nkeh said all the accusations are baseless.
“Those who have acquired parcels of land are always supposed to occupy such lands within three years. People do not seek the services of the regional delegation. After three years we have the right to withdraw the land title and sell it” he explained.
He added that they “… do not know who is rich and who is poor. People go to quarks and they are duped in the process and all they can do is to say we have done and that”.
There has been a mad rush in the acquisition of land and landed property in the Bamenda one sub division by well-to-do citizens. The sub division has been considered safe by many especially those in the public sector.
Divisional officers, security officers, many business persons and elected officials as well as humanitarian associations working in the crisis hit region have relocated to the area given that it plays host to command centers of military and paramilitary elements, and is far from frequent kidnaps and attacks by separatist’s fighters.
The pressure to acquire land in the area has also become so high that if one buys a piece of land and does not occupy immediately, risks losing it.
By Timfuchi Aaron
