Africa-Press – Tanzania. RESERVING land for strategic investments will be among six key priorities of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development in the next financial year.
Tabling the 101.1bn/- budget estimates for 2021/22 fiscal year in Parliament yesterday, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development Mr William Lukuvi said that his office will embark on massive land development and allocation programme in the coming financial year in order to have ready- to use- land for investors.
Last month, President Samia Suluhu Hassan pledged to attract more investors in the country by creating a friendly environment including amending investment laws and offering incentive packages.
She also ordered land authorities to cut red tape in issuing land to investors. Minister Lukuvi said thentire process will be guided by the ruling CCM party 2020- 25 manifesto and the National Five Year Development Plan 2021/22-2025/26 .
Mr Lukuvi said the government will continue to allocate land for investment so that the sector could immensely contribute to the national economic growth.
He told the Parliament that in the next five years, the government will survey 37 per cent of the country’s land allocated for investment, human settle ment development, commercial areas and other use that deems fit within time.
The minister said the survey project will be conducted under the ministry’s supervision in collaboration with regional administration and local government officials as well as the sector’s stakeholders.
Mr Lukuvi further said that the ministry will also implement a major land use plan enforce construction of low cost houses and promote cities development among other priorities.
He said the government will come up with the land use plan for reserved areas and marine parks so as to have a land budget for each key sector.
In 2021/22 financial year, the ministry will survey, demarcate, identify and conducting land mapping whereas 2,500,000 land titles are expected to be issued in urban areas and 2,600,000 customary titles in rural areas.
“The ministry will as well harmonise land use management and development projects in other sectors to foster economic projects and investments since land is a key capital,” Mr Lukuvi noted.
The minister further pointed out that his office will continue addressing land disputes by allocating land where need arises, put clear demarcation and ownership.
Mr Lukuvi further said that, his office will also come up with guidelines and regulations on how to monitor and control land brokers, so that they operate according to the laws.
“Some land brokers and dealers have been deceiving and conning people by selling them ghost plots … my office will take stern measures against them in order to contain the situation,” he said.
He said it has come to the government attention that, there are unregistered companies operating as surveyors and land brokers by conducting businesses such as renting, selling and buying of plots as well as house auctioning which is contrary to the laws.
”The trend has been a source of several land conflicts, inflicting of prices and denying the government its revenue by not paying the required tax, thus the guidelines and regulations are going to deal with the situation” said Mr Lukuvi.
The minister said it is high time for the government to identify and register land brokers and dealers in the country and issue them with guidelines and regulations.
He directed ministries, public institutions and departments to ensure they set aside budget for compensation payment before acquiring land as in most cases they create uncalled for conflicts with wananchi.
According to the minister, as of May 15, this year the number of land conflicts cases filed were 2,378 out of which 1,838 have been settled administratively.
