TORs recommended for inclusion in COI

Landowners representing clans in the Manumanu and Gabadi areas have called on the Prime Minister to include their concerns when setting up the Terms of Reference in the proposed Commission of Inquiry.

Joint Spokespersons, John Daroa and Rev. John Ovia in a media conference today thanked the Prime Minister for sidelining two of his ministers involved in the acquisition process and encouraged him to stick to his commitment in setting up the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the matter.

John Daroa said landowners in two separate letters this month raised their concerns with the Prime Minister over the allegations surrounding the compulsory land acquisition process of portions 154, 406, 421, 422, 423 and 424 of Manumanu (NE), Fourmil of Aroa, Central Province.

“However, before the investigations begin, the landowners would like to ask the Prime Minister who we understand sets up the Terms of Reference for COI’s to include the landowners concerns in bringing to light how the transactions took place between all the parties involved in the acquisitions of the allotments,” said Daroa

“We hold the Prime Minister to his commitment to return the land to the Manumanu and Gabadi people.”

He added that the LO’s were aware that a petition concerning the propriety of the said acquisition was submitted to the Prime Minister’s office in April 2016 which resulted in the matter being raised in this recent sitting of parliament.

The Terms of Reference the landowners recommend to the Prime Minister to be included are as follows;

  • What is the nature of the legal interest held by the State Lease Title Holder in Portions 154, 406, 421, 422, 423 and 424 at or just prior to its recent sale?
  • Whether the purported Title Holder acquired their interest in a proper and businesslike manner in accordance with the land laws?
  • What were the natures of the legal interest of the traditional landowners, if any residual or otherwise in respect of the land prior to and after the sale?
  • In respect of the purported compulsory acquisition, were the legal procedures prescribed by the law including s.54 of the Constitution fully complied with?
  • Did the State, prior to the sale and purchase of the land conduct and current and future land use requirement of the local landowners?
  • If any of the questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 above are answered in the negative, what relief would the commission of Inquiry recommend in favor of the traditional landowners?

The six (6) Terms of Reference were recommended and purposely designed to shed light on issues affecting the landowners in the proposed COI, signed by the landowner representatives of the different affect clans.

Author: 
Annette Kora