To promote women’s right to own houses, land, and property, the Plateau State Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Town Planning, in collaboration with the Norwegian Refugee Council, has held a stakeholders’ technical meeting at the Ministry of Lands’ conference Hall, 12 JD Gomwalk Boulevard, Jos.
The meeting, which brought together traditional leaders, religious representatives, and other stakeholders, was a crucial step towards strengthening institutional capacity and pushing for legislative actions to support women’s property rights.
According to Barr. Peter Nyam Gai, Commissioner for Lands, Survey, and Town Planning, laws that hinder women’s property rights need to be amended.
“Laws are made by men and must be amended by men,” emphasizing the need for a collective effort to the law.
The Commissioner also revealed that his ministry has already taken a proactive step by introducing a free form for land titles for women and urged banks and donor agencies to follow suit by adopting women-friendly policies.
The initiative has received support from traditional and religious leaders, including Mr Tetmut Audu Gambo, District Head of Kombun, who expressed the belief that women are better property managers than men.
Representatives from Jama’a Nasir Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also backed the advocacy, citing religious teachings that support women’s right to own properties.
As the Plateau State government works towards achieving the global goal of women owning properties by 2030, the success of this initiative will depend on the commitment of all stakeholders to push for legislative actions and strengthen institutional capacity.
The meeting marked a significant step towards promoting women’s property rights in Plateau State, and it is expected that the initiative will have a positive impact on the lives of women in the state.
Credit: Baktok Nashak
