Following outcries by many residents of Delta State, especially those who intend to carry out development building projects plans that are always asked to pay money by some hoodlums, the state government has decided to put a stop to the act and others being perpetrated in many parts of the state.
It is very common in the state that before anyone can start a building project, such a person must be forced to pay certain amount of money to some hoodlums and land grabbers which is known as ‘development levy’ or what is commonly called ‘Deve’ in local parlance.
Also, it is very common to sell landed property to more than one person while some hoodlums are in the habit of using firearms or lethal weapons to attack developers and destroy properties at construction sites.
However, following the outcries, the state government has issued a public notice which has prohibited such acts from hoodlums, land grabbers and others in the state.
The notice, issued by the Office of Public and Private Properties Protection in the Governor’s Office Asaba, a copy of which was received by this medium, indicated that punishments await anyone who goes against the notice.
According to the notice, a taskforce has been set up against collection of levies or fees from property developers anywhere in the state while sale of landed property to more than one person is prohibited.
Also, according to the notice, disruption or obstruction of construction works on site is not allowed while use of firearms or lethal weapons to attack developers on properties at construction sites would not be allowed.
It would be recalled that the Delta State House of Assembly some years ago passed a bill prohibiting deve collection and assented by the state governor making it a law in the state prohibiting such incongruous and inconsistent behaviours by miscreants in the state.
