Journal of Physical Science and Environmental Studies

Research Paper|Published August 2021|Vol. 7 (2):15-21.

https://doi.org/10.36630/jpses_21004

 

Access to Land and Legal Security of Tenure: Implications and Impact on Rural Development in Abia State, Nigeria

 

Nwobi J. C.¹ and Alabi, M.A²

 

¹Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Abia State University, Nigeria.

²Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Basic Design, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. 

 

ABSTRACT

In the rural and communal settings, land rights are culturally attached to indigenous peoples in Nigeria, especially the inhabitants of the southern part of the country. Culturally, the customary land tenure system has generic value and security in such ways that it could be transferred from one owner to owner without restrictions. Security of land tenure is a vital ingredient that enhances the transferability of greater altitudes of investment. The study adopted a random sampling method and selected 1,061 house-owners and administered a set of structured questionnaires that contained questions that probed into issues on their accessibility to land and legal security of tenure. Another set of questionnaires was differently designed to elicit information from other stakeholders (Land managers, Town planning Agencies, Community/Family Heads, etc). Data obtained from the primary source were subjected to empirical analysis. The data were also complemented by secondary data. The findings revealed the socio-economic characteristics of the house-owners, means and duration of the period of land acquisition, determinants of access to land, and the implications on the securing planning permission, construction of illegal structures and the quality of construction. Finally, the paper recommended that tenure security in customary areas can be enhanced through the formalization of customary tenure. Governments should facilitate this process, initially where there is a demand for formalization. There is a need to harmonize reform efforts across customary and statutory law, regulations.

Keywords:Land, Access to Land, Security of Tenure, Statutory law, Customary law, Rural Land.

 

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