Min Croal clamps down on land ‘double-dipping’

Government continues to confront issues of irregular settlements and squatting across Region Ten, even as it works to clear the backlog of housing applications and provide new homeownership opportunities.

According to Minister of Housing, Collin Croal, one irregularity faced by the Ministry of Housing is ‘double dipping’ by squatters who have already been allocated land.

“You have persons who may have been allocated, and they are also squatting…as we would say, double-dipping…They will not be recognised twice,” Minister Croal explained during a visit to the Fitz Hope Housing Scheme in Linden on Wednesday.

He explained that while squatting remains illegal, the government has taken a compassionate approach by addressing the realities found on the ground and working to regularise certain areas.

The minister highlighted that there are also persons occupying house lots that are already issued.

“We’re committed to having every lot where we have a challenge, or even boundaries where we have squatting, be addressed.”

He said that eligible applicants can access land or housing through the approved system.

Over 2,000 applications are still pending in the region, and the minister urged residents to be patient as the housing drive continues.

Infrastructure works at Wismar Phase One are nearing completion, allowing all allottees to access their lands by the end of November. Phase Two works have also commenced and are expected to be completed in the coming months.

To strengthen enforcement, the ministry has appointed new rangers and will soon add enforcement officers to monitor and curb new squatting activities. [DPI]