By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The Rivers State Government has warned those who encroach on Rivers lands at the boundaries to desist from their actions.
Also, the state government has decided to streamline the land surveying practice in Rivers to curb incessant cases of land encroachment.
To achieve that, the government is partnering with the Office of the Surveyor-General to eliminate quacks from the surveying profession.
This was made known by the surveyor general of the state, Noel Ihunwo, while speaking with journalists recently in Port Harcourt.
He expressed disappointment that some Rivers citizens living close to the boundaries connive with land grabbers from neighboring states to encroach on the state’s lands.
He however regretted that some members of his profession conspire with these natives to perpetrate such unpatriotic acts.
To check the menace, the surveyor-general disclosed that a committee has been set up to stop the unprofessional activities of such surveyors and punish defaulters.
He said: “We have an ethics committee which I also head in the state, saddled with the responsibility of regulation and control of survey practice and mapping in the state.
“My main thrust is the maintenance of discipline, elimination of quacks from the profession.
“We stand tall today to say that we have an ethics committee within the state that has risen to the extent of prosecuting quacks that have ravaged the profession.
“We are arresting, we are prosecuting, and we are also eliminating their presence within the circle of the profession within the state.”
