Railway management moves to secure properties nationwide

The Railway Property Management Company (RPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said it has concluded arrangements to finalize its computerized property and tenant register.

Timothy Zalanga, Director of the RPMC, disclosed this on Friday while addressing a press conference in Kaduna.

Zalanga, who noted that the RPMC was saddled with the responsibility of managing all lands and landed assets of the NRC, added that the recent initiative was to ascertain the number of properties and tenants under its purview for effective management.

He said a task force had been set up by the management of the company to carry out the audit.

"The task force is expected to cover Kaduna and environs as the pilot exercise before embarking on other states of the federation."

"The exercise is expected to drive the company's plan for a real-time interactive land management system on a digital platform," he said.

The director warned those claiming ownership of land and landed properties belonging to railroads to desist from making such claims.

He, however, urged members of the public illegally occupying railroad lands and landed properties to regularize their stay or risk eviction.

Zalanga also urged allottees of railway lands to settle their rental obligations, adding that all performing businesses along railway corridors should seek clearance or risk eviction.

"Any illegal transfer of railroad land or property to third parties will equally face revocation of the allocation," he stressed.

Zalanga further said that as enshrined in the Land Use Act, any land that was not in the hands of the state government before the advent of the Act still remained with the Federal Government.

He explained, however, that for the purpose of building new rail lines, as they are doing from Kaduna to Kano, the railway had acquired new rail lines from the state government and translated them to be under the purview of the state government.

"Some weeks ago, a conference was organized for directors of lands nationwide by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing where issues of land ownership were particularly addressed and they were educated on who owns a land and from what period.

"The land use act (1978) already states that any land owned by the Federal Government, its agencies, or parastatals that is enacted under the act shall not be affected by the act; it is exempted completely," Zalanga explained.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prior to the news briefing, the company visited Birnin Yero, Kakuri, Monday Market, Abakpwa, Ts'aunin Kura, Sabon Tasha, and Television Garage, all in Kaduna, where they have property and lands.