BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
WESTERN Provincial Government (WPG) is taking steps to fix land titles and property ownership on state lands in an effort to help the province get greater benefits.
Premier David Gina said WPG’ Lands Division is embarking on a major exercise to survey, subdivide and allocate the many un-procedural developments in the province with the view to collecting property rates and land rentals.
“All these years people have built and erect residences and structures on unallocated land and the province was unable to collect property rates from them because they do not have FTE titles,” Gina said.
“The same goes for forfeitures with a view of making allocations to genuine developers who will be able to pay land rentals and property rates,” he added.
“By awarding titles, we will be legitimizing their ownership and thereby compelling them to pay property rates and rentals that are due to the province,” Gina added.
He said the exercise has already commenced in Gizo and it is anticipated that it will extended to other areas like Noro, Munda, Seghe and elsewhere where the government has land.
