Following the prosecution of defaulting property owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as a result of property owners owing the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) ground rent to the tune of twenty-nine billion Naira, the FCTA has stated that all property developers in the FCT must now show evidence of ground rent payment before the Department of Development Control considers and approves any building plan application.
As previously reported by Tribune Online, property owners in the FCT are indebted to the FCTA and are refusing to pay their ground rent and other land-related charges, forcing the FCT Administration to form a Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of the Outstanding N29 Billion Ground Rents, as well as engage five consultants laws firm owned by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to take legal action against the defaulters.
The FCTA’s Director of Information and Communication, Muhammad Hazat Sule, in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, on Sunday, warned that “clearance of all outstanding ground rents is now a requirement for the processing and approval of building plans submitted by property owners in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“The Director of the Department Development Control, who is also a member of the Coordinating Committee has noted this resolution and affirmed that the Department will do everything to enforce this new requirement.
“The FCT Administration decided to set up this Coordinating Committee due to the failure of titleholders to pay the prescribed land charges, despite several appeals and notices served on the affected property owners.
“The Administration had earlier sent out letters serving as last warning to such defaulters, as the government is committed to recovering every dime owed it.
“The Coordinating Committee is poised to do everything within the ambit of the law to recover every dime owed government and will take advantage of this robust partnership with these highly professional legal firms to realise this.
“The Committee wishes to appeal to the defaulters to be honourable and responsible to pay their outstanding ground rents as it is a better option left to avoid punitive action,” the Administration stated.
