Community leaders risk jail term over ‘illegal development fees’ in Delta – Official

Delta State Government says anyone caught collecting development levies or any form of fees from public or private land developers in the state faces a two-year jail term.

Fred Oghenesivbe, the director-general of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, gave the warning in a statement made available to reporters on Saturday in Asaba.

He said the state law, which criminalised the collection of any form of development levies or fees at construction sites by members of a community development committee, association, or community leaders, remained in force.

He said community leaders and residents needed to obey the existing law, the Public and Private Properties Protection Law, 2018.

He said that several complaints of exploitation received by the Bureau pointed to the fact that some community leaders and their associations were terrorising private property developers in the state.

He recalled that the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, presided over the passage of the bill when he was speaker of the Delta House of Assembly.

He said the bill was subsequently signed into law in 2018 by Mr Oborevwori’s predecessor, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

According to Mr Oghenesivbe, some communities use brute force and coercive strategies to collect all kinds of levies and fees ranging from N200,000 to over N1,000,000, depending on the location and size of the building structure.

He said those who willfully, deliberately, and unknowingly violate the law shall be prosecuted, and such an individual or group of persons risks a two-year or five-year jail term upon conviction.

He also said that Governor Oborevwori has publicly stated that the collection of any form of levy in Delta had been outlawed.

“The governor said that no individual, community leader or traditional institution is permitted to collect development levies or fees from land developers, either public or private sector.”

Mr Oghenesivbe assured that the governor would continue to work around the clock to provide infrastructure across the state’s three senatorial districts and attract local and foreign investors.

He appealed to community leaders not to discourage investors from bringing development to their communities, towns and villages through illegal and fees already prohibited by law.

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He quoted the law as prohibiting forceful entry, assault on construction workers and landowners, or trespassing on construction sites without lawful authorisation by the site or building owner, which is illegal and must be avoided.

“Unlawful collection of foundation digging fee, building materials and other unscrupulous act or conduct by members of community development committee or association should be stopped forthwith to avoid running against subsisting state laws in force,” he said.