Tche Irene Morikang
14 March 2008
The Minister of State Property and Land Affairs, Pascal Anong Adibime, in a communiqué last Wednesday, cancelled some 149 land titles. The terrains in question are situated in the Mvan and Nsam neighbourhoods of Yaounde III and IV sub divisions of Mfoundi Division. According to the Minister, the land titles are of no value as they were irregularly delivered for a parcel of land belonging to the Mission for the Development and Management of Industrial Zones (MAGZI).
By implication, all those on the disputed site are illegally occupying the area even if they have land certificates. We are talking about 801 built up structures if we have to go by the report of a commission set up to investigate land issues in the Yaounde South industrial zone. This number might have risen because between 13 December 2006, when the commission presented its report and now, a lot of constructions have been carried out in the area. These structures, among them heavy investments such as hotels, travel agencies and schools, have to be demolished for the rightful owner, MAGZI, to get hold of their property.
The situation is disturbing and gives rise to a series of questions. One: how did the victims or those with the fake land certificates get possession of this precious document? It is difficult to understand how fraudulent land titles could have been obtained when it is known that getting the document in the country is a Herculean task? In the case of Mvan and Nsam MAGZI land, the procedure ought to have gone through rigorous control by the same Ministry that had paid compensation for the disputed land?
Two: if it is found out that some individuals of the Ministry concerned with issuing land titles were involved in fraudulent acts, will it be enough simply to say that they will be given administrative sanctions when on the other end people will lose their life time investments?
Three: seeing the enormity and heavy value of investment made on the disputed pieces of land, it is hard to understand how such structures went up without the notice of MAGZI officials. What did they do while these structures were being erected? At the end of the day, one cannot forget that it is Cameroonians who have invested on the land wherefore the need to guard against robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Four: granted we have those who are trying to double deal by staying on the land after being paid off by the government. What about those who were duped into purchased land from those whom they believed were the rightful owners? Ignorance of the law is no excuse, some people might say. But how many people will ever care to verify if a land certificate is fake or not?
The questions abound. They bring to light the complexity of land issues in Cameroon and the cacophony that hitherto existed in the domain. In effect, land problems are among the most recurrent in our courts. Judging from the complexity of the issue, one would imagine that the Minister has sought necessary legal advice so that his decision does not get debunked should the victims decide to seek legal redress. For, it is possible that some of the victims fell prey to the fraud that has hitherto characterised the treatment of issues related to land.
To make sure that such situation doesn't occur in future, people seeking to buy land should take time to verify the authenticity of documents presented to them. In the same light, it is important for MAGZI and all those with vast unoccupied land to reinforce surveillance. For, it is unpardonable that a person will take and use your property for ages and you would remain so indifferent.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 Cameroon Tribune. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
The problem with this country is every body is trying to outmaneuver the other. Those incharge of issueing land titles have to come into questioning. Really i smell some foul play from many angles.