Abuja ground rater defaulters risks losing their lands

The FCT Administration (FCTA) has warned that over 9,671 title owners who failed to pay their ground rent in 2023 are at the risk of losing their lands if they fail to pay within two weeks.

Top on the list are foreign embassies, which the administration said were owing over $5.3m for failing to pay in 2023.

Others, according to a publication in some national dailies signed by Muhammad Hazat Sule, FCTA’s Director of Information and Communication, include companies and individuals who are collectively owing N2,205,079,937.

The publication reads in part: “The FCT Administration hereby reminds the general public, particularly allottees of land(s) within the FCT, of their obligation to the FCTA as stipulated in the covenanted terms of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to wit to pay in advance without demand to the Honourable Minister, FCT, the annual ground rent from the first day of January of each year.

“All allottees, property owners, as well as beneficiaries of the sale of federal government houses in the FCT who could not pay or settle their outstanding ground rent for the year 2023 are hereby advised in their interest to ensure payment within two weeks from the date of this publication; failure of which such titles shall be revoked.”

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Tuesday, urged the elite and residents of the territory to pay their taxes and ground rent to allow for adequate funding of projects and infrastructure development in the territory.

The minister made the plea during an inspection of ongoing projects, including the vice president’s residence under construction by Julius Berger; the Asokoro and Area 1 roundabouts on the Outer Southern Expressway being constructed by CGC Construction; the Wuye Bridge under construction by Arab Contractors and roads D6 and B12 being handled by Julius Berger.

Wike said, “First of all, whether inflation or not, that’s why we are here, to solve problems. With the taxes people pay, we try as much as we can to allocate it to the priority projects. Again, we don’t allow variation. Why? Because we also try to pay as at when due; so the issue of variation does not come in.”

The minister called for the support of residents of the FCT, noting that the paid taxes and ground rents were being managed judiciously to ensure the delivery of various projects.