The governor of Maputo Province, Manuel Tule, has called for the productive use of idle land to address growing demand for plots designated for housing, agriculture, and investment, arguing that bringing such areas into use could accelerate the province’s economic and social development.
According to newspaper O País, Tule noted that rising demand for land stands in stark contrast to the existence of extensive occupied but unproductive areas — a situation he described as an opportunity to establish properly planned new human settlements.
He added that currently unproductive land could equally be developed for modern agriculture and to attract large-scale investment.
“Making use of that land will increase production and productivity, create jobs — especially for young people — and generate income for families, contributing to the province’s sustainable growth,” Tule said.
The governor stressed, however, that achieving these goals depends on coordinated action across the public administration, grounded in rigorous planning, continuous project monitoring, and a stronger on-the-ground presence by authorities.
Turning to urban expansion, Tule expressed concern over the disorderly occupation of land, particularly in the city of Matola, where informal settlements continue to emerge without any territorial planning. He called for a fundamental shift in land management to ensure more organised, safe, and sustainable urban growth.
Tule also identified delays in the issuance of Land Use and Development Rights titles — known by the Portuguese acronym DUAT — as one of the main obstacles to investment project implementation and housing construction. He described it as unacceptable that citizens should wait one, two, or more years for the documentation required to legally use plots that have already been allocated to them.
In his view, the slowness of administrative processes encourages illegal occupations, fuels land disputes, generates socioeconomic instability, and undermines the pace of development across Maputo Province.
Against this backdrop, Tule urged the relevant government services to accelerate the processing of land applications, ensuring that legal access to land is granted more swiftly and contributes to promoting sustainable development.
Source: Diário Económico
