On assumption of duty in the last two years, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Barrister Nzenwo Nyesom Wike, CON has expressed serious worries over the multilated, erratic, and fraudulently adjusted Certificate of Occupancy, CofO, Right of Occupancy, RofO of all categories of lands in the nation’s city and area councils.
Disturbed by the negative trends that had become a norm in the nation’s city and has portrayed the image of the FCT in bad light , Wike has set up a machinery without further delay to right the wrongs .
Aside sharp practices, land racketeering, land grabbing among many other frauds , those who had statutory documents have refused to oblige the required documentation, hence flouting the yearly provision, charges ,rules and regulations guiding Abuja properties, both in commercial, residential areas among many other utilization.
The sad development after many warnings and official notices , the present administration under the Minister has no choice than to revoke the statutory documents covering those structures in high brow areas of Maitama, Asokoro ,Wuse and Garki numbering 1,095, for refusal to pay related charges expected to trickle down to other areas of the city center and area councils.
The recalcitrant house owners and well to do individuals, corporate organizations who bluntly and deliberately refused to offset the statutory charges due for government spanned for many years/ decades after repeated appeals and warning from May, 2025 to November, 2025 by the FCT administration, occasioned the government decisions.
The payment of Certificate of Occupancy CofO bills, Right of Occupancy RofO bills, Ground Rent Payment bills, and Land Use Act bills published in conventional and non- conventional media houses and flouted by the specified residents occasioned the decision to revoke the statutory allocations of those areas .
While taking the decision, the FCT administration clearly stated inter-alia.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced enforcement actions on a total of 1,095 property titles in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that were revoked over non-payment of Ground Rent, Certificate of Occupancy (C-OF-O) bill and Penalty/Violation fee and Land Use Conversion fee.”
” The affected areas accordingly said while explaining the long period of non-compliance by property owners, it added, “The 1,095 are property titles in Asokoro, Maitama, Garki and Wuse districts of the Federal Capital City (FCC).”
“The owners had ignored a series of public notices, made from May to November, this year, by the FCTA in national dailies, online platforms and television stations, requesting defaulters to settle their financial obligations/liabilities or risk losing their titles.”
The approval for revocation of statutory title documents for these high brow areas of Wuse , Maitama, Garki and Asokoro residents was a good omen and decisions of the Minister , Barrister Nzenwo Nyesom Wike, CON, considering the denial of government revenues, while enjoying the social amenities provided by the government rangiing from water , light , roads , and other essentials across the areas .
Denying government of it’s revenue on its own amounted to a serious offence against the state, as the present administration of the FCT under Barrister Nzenwo Nyesom Wike, CON, is bent not only to restore the Abuja Master Plan, but ensured those who are well to do offset their liabilities to government ,that will inturn provide more funds for government to provide facilities to other areas, so as to bridge the gap of social stratification and disequilibrium.
All hands must be on deck to support the current administration of the Minister of FCT, Nzenwo Nyesom Wike who aside generating more revenues for the FCT, striving to bridge the gap of underdevelopment, dearth of social amenities in other areas.
It is unethical, illegal and outdated in the current global order for citizens not to offset their obligations to government, while government scrambled to raise funds for the improvement of socioeconomic and infrastructural development.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com
