By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Following the recovery of N29 billion outstanding ground rent and other related charges in the FCT the Coordinating Committee has threatented to to publish names of the titleholders who have refused to pay their debts despite several appeals by the Administration.
The Committee said that exposing names is to shame all recalcitrant defaulters who have refused to pay their prescribed fees.
According to the Committee, the publication of the names of the debtors that have already been charged to court, will send a strong message to the debtors that the FCT Administration is determined to recover the huge debt owed it by property owners in the Territory.
A caveat has also been placed to deny such titleholders access to the property, and eventually forfeit same to the government.
The caveat will also safeguard such properties from being tampered with, through especially by attempting to sell or transfer ownership, because the matter is being heard in court.
Also, the FCT Administration also promised to continue with the prosecution of defaulters in courts preparatory to obtaining a court order for the forfeiture of the affected properties.
The idea of making the names public is to expose the defaulters, which is a form of public shaming to discourage those with similar kinds of attitude.
The FCT Administration is determined to recover all Ground Rent debts owed by property owners in Abuja, and all necessary procedures will be followed to achieve this.
It would be recalled that the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade inaugurated a debt recovery committee with the mandate to recover the outstanding debts owed the FCT Administration with a particular interest in ground rents and other sundry fees in the Land Administration as well as other Land related departments.
