LAND offices will be rendering services on a 24 hour basis to resolve land disputes and issue title deeds.

Anthony Sanga, the Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development permanent secretary, made this affirmation during a meeting yesterday with Albert Chalamila, the Dar es Salaam regional commissioner, engaged in night time inspection of various projects.

The shift to round-the-clock operations has proven beneficial, resulting in the resolution of many conflicts and the issuance of 7,510 title deeds, he said, noting that daytime congestion made it challenging for individuals to seek services, prompting the decision to extend service hours.

“Many people cannot visit during the day, so night time is seen to be convenient for people to access services, not just at regional offices but also in the respective municipalities, namely Kinondoni, Temeke, Ilala and Ubungo,” he said.

A section of ministerial staff has been assigned to work from late afternoon to midnight in addressing community challenges during those shifts, he explained.

Ali Momba, who received a title deed, shared that after learning about the nighttime services, he opted to finish up his daytime activities and visit the land offices at night.

 “This practice should be permanent. Additionally, more machines should be added to improve service delivery. I thank the ministry for this innovation as it alleviates the inconvenience of long waits,” he stated.

Rehema Buguni, another recipient of a title deed, expressed appreciation for the nighttime services, pointing out that daytime crowds often lead to extended delays, while the RC praised the appointment of two land commissioners for Dar es Salaam, given the region's wide ranging administration needs.

He praised the ministerial executive for this initiative, asserting that it will help reduce the long queues faced by those seeking resolutions for land disputes.

Many residents face land conflicts due to fraudulent land documents being sold, which exacerbate disputes, the RC noted, underlining that extended service hours indicate attentiveness in resolving many issues.

He also aired the need for increasing the number of document-issuing equipment for quicker services, while expressing the wish that city businesses be able to operate 24 hours a day, where introducing land titles nighttime services is aligned with this goal.