Wike had earlier published land titles of individuals, organisations and agencies owing ground rent
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, insisted that the final warning he issued to defaulters of ground rent payment in the nation’s capital is not an empty threat.
Wike made this known when he received a delegation of the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its President, Comrade Chris Isiguzo in Abuja.
The former governor speaking during the visit said that “something will surely happen” contrary to the erroneous impression that he wasn’t taking the ground rent directive seriously.
Prior to this development, NAN had reported that the FCT Administration in September published land titles of individuals, organisations, and agencies owing ground rent.
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In the publication, the FCTA reminded allottees of lands within FCT of their obligations as stipulated in the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to pay in advance without demand from Jan. 1 of each year.
It also warned that a breach or failure to comply with any or all of the terms stated in the Rights of Occupancy shall be liable to the revocation of the title.
However, Wike, speaking on the directive, while talking to the NUJ delegation, reminded defaulters that he would match his words with action at the end of the grace period by revoking such plots.
He said: “We have given defaulters a final notice to go and pay, and they said it is initial “garagara” (false bravery). Something will happen.
“By the time we give the final notice, and you don’t pay, the law will be applied,” he said.
He added that the FCTA was able to save significant Internally Generated Revenue since the removal of the Administration from the Treasury Single Account, adding that the era of abandoned projects in the FCT was over.