Illustrative Photo baohaiphong.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has ordered a probe into allegations that the People’s Committee of Vĩnh Phong Commune in Hải Phòng City’s Vĩnh Bảo District has held the red books (home ownership certificates) of 150 households for 19 years.

The city administration has been tasked with urgently investigating the claim, Phúc said.

Without their red books, locals who want to perform transactions related to their houses have met with troubles.

The allegation was made in reports by Việt Nam Television on June 29 and July 4. According to the reports, in 1997, 175 households in the commune were listed as having been issued red books. However, only 25 of these households have received their red books so far.

Local residents said those who received the red books were relatives of the community officials.

Prime Minister Phúc has given the city’s administration 10 days to investigate and deal with any violations. The city administration is required to present a report to the Prime Minister before July 16.

According to the People’s Committee of Vĩnh Bảo District, in April 2013, the committee dismissed Chairman of the communal People’s Committee Bùi Ánh Dương for violations related to land management after local residents complained about the commune administration’s delay in issuing red books.

In May and June 2013, the district fired two other communal officials for the same violations and ordered the commune to quickly issue the red books for 150 households, the committee said.

However, complaints were still sent to the district until March 2016.

The district decided to set up a team to re-measure the land area of 150 households and then issue red books to them in March.

The district committee said measurements have been finished for 112 households so far. Other households have not agreed to re-measurement, instead requesting their red books from 1997, causing headaches for the team as well as the district committee.  — VNS