The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has ordered local authorities to expedite the issuing of title deeds to residents and give special consideration to home owners who have been occupying houses for more than 25 years.

He said it was unfair for local authorities to delay issuing title deeds to their residents so that they could continue receiving rentals.

“The Government has written to most of the local authorities, imploring them that where it is possible, those who have occupied homes for more than 25 years, we believe by then they would have paid sufficiently for them to own those properties.

“It appears councils are taking their time because they are surviving out of the rentals that come to them from these residents. They must actually be more proactive and go into further development of new homes across their areas so that they do not survive on rentals alone,” said Minister Kasukuwere while responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday.