By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCTA Director, Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze has disclosed that the administration has renewed its stance to commence by next week the enforcement of payments on ground rents, C-of-O payments, and land use conversion fees on defaulters in Abuja.
Nwankwoeze made this known after the first FCT Executive Council Meeting chaired by the FCT Minister Barr Nysom Wike on Wednesday in Abuja.
Briefing newsmen, the FCTA Director of Lands said, “The decision was taken following a report of noncompliance by defaulters on payments of ground rents and related bills”, he said.
“The council approved that from next week the FCTA will embark on those enforcement actions, and that could include revocation of the titles, sealing of the properties, and anything that is legal that the FCTA may deal with in the circumstance.”
He explained that action would also be taken on properties along
Aminu Kano Crescent, Adetokumbo Ademola Crescent, and most of the streets in Area 8 Garki, Area 7 Garki, and several other places where properties originally allocated for residential have been converted illegally to banks and other commercial purposes.
He recalled that the Administration last year took a bold step to look at properties that have been in default regarding their various land uses as originally allocated.
“Those were violations of the terms and conditions of the grant of those rights of occupancy. We did a very thorough analysis and converted them in line with planning standards.”
Furthermore, Nwankwoeze stated that letters of conveyance of approval were issued to the allottees, the titleholders, and certain payments were to be made.”
“Some have paid, some have not paid. There have been notifications and public notices in some national dailies and even electronic media and social media platforms asking property holders at such locations to come forward and pay.”
He explained that the enforcement action is necessary because the FCT Administration is focused on providing the best world-class infrastructure to the residents of the FCTA.
The FCT Minister, Barr Nysom Wike, is committed to ensuring that Abuja residents have an excellent environmental living, and that can only be sustained if we can generate revenue within the FCTA to provide world-class infrastructure social services, he added.
However, the Council has Abuja residents pay up their due taxes, due fees, due levies, ground rents, and all other charges due to the FCTA .
That is the only way the administration will continue to provide infrastructure the way it is doing currently and to maintain the city to the standard that we all want, the council added.
“You cannot be enjoying the full size of a property, collecting rent from people for those that are rented out, without meeting your obligations to FCTA, and particularly the land use conversion fee.”
Nwankwoeze promised to visit people who have moved from the primary purpose for which their properties were allocated but are now using those properties differently.
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