Wike Warns Ground Rent Defaulters May Lose Property

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has warned ground rent defaulters in the territory that they risk forfeiture of their property over the default in meeting extension deadline.

He issued the warning yesterday while addressing journalists shortly after inspecting ongoing key infrastructure projects in Wuse and Life Camp areas of the FCT.

The minister warned that there would be no further extension on the payment deadline of today, noting the two-week and the presidential grace periods granted defaulters four months ago had long elapsed.

He threatened that officials of the FCTA would seal up the premises of defaulters, while the properties would revert back to the FCT Administration.

Wike said: If you have not paid, we will seal up the premises and the property becomes the property of the FCT Administration.

It is unfortunate that most Nigerians who complain dont want to abide by the rules. You realize that when we started this enforcement, we also had a presidential intervention to give them two, three weeks more.

But its more than four months now and we cannot carry out projects without people paying their taxes.

We did also make publications of extending the deadline and of course, you know they like to rush. If you dont go and enforce it, nobody will pay. So, we believe that this is the last time. We are not going to extend any further.

He also disclosed that the ongoing procurement process for the Abuja bus terminals would be completed before the end of the year, adding that the administration was also assessing those that have applied to run it as well as the number of buses in their fleet.

We believe, by the grace of God, before the end of the year, that we will have rounded up. So, it is a matter of getting things done by the way they are supposed to be, by following due process, he said.

He also provided updates on the infrastructure projects he inspected, including the Transit Way N2 connecting the Central Business District to Wuse District and the Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Camp Junction to Karmo.

He expressed satisfaction with the progress and quality of work and noted the contractors assurances of timely completion.