By Bonaventure Alufo
The Anambra State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has introduced measures to curb building permit forgery, improve transparency and strengthen development control across the state.
The reforms, announced by the ministry under the leadership of Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu, include a specialised security seal for building permits and the digitalisation of the assessment fee application process, scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1.
The measures were disclosed on Oct. 20, when the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Housing paid an oversight visit to the ministry.
For years, the forgery of official stamps and building permit numbers has posed a challenge to physical planning authorities, allowing unscrupulous individuals to issue fake approvals to unsuspecting developers. Such practices undermine regulatory enforcement, deprive the government of revenue and encourage unauthorised construction.
Buildings erected without proper approval may violate planning regulations, including setback requirements, and bypass essential professional assessments, potentially exposing occupants and surrounding communities to safety risks.
To address the problem, the ministry is partnering with the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc (NSPM) to produce a specialised security seal for building permits. The company, which produces Nigeria’s currency and other sensitive security documents, is expected to incorporate security features that will make the seals difficult to counterfeit or manipulate.
The initiative is designed to make genuine building approvals easier to authenticate while making it more difficult for fraudsters to deceive developers and circumvent established procedures.
Another major component of the reform is the planned digitalisation of the assessment fee application process. Under the proposed system, entering building plan details into the digital platform will automatically generate the applicable assessment fee and file number.
The automated process is expected to reduce human interference, improve transparency, minimise billing irregularities and strengthen accountability in the collection of government revenue.
The reforms align with broader efforts to modernise physical planning administration and promote orderly urban development through technology and improved document security.
With Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s approval for the initiatives, attention will now focus on their effective implementation and enforcement.
If successfully implemented, the measures could help strengthen public confidence in the building approval process, improve compliance with planning regulations and support the development of safer, better planned communities across Anambra State.
Developers and residents are encouraged to obtain building approvals through the appropriate official channels and verify the authenticity of permits before commencing construction.
Bonaventure Alufo is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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