Lawmakers order Abuja minister to reverse Abuja land rates

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday demanded an immediate reversal of the policy to hike land rates in Abuja by up to 900 per cent, which was recently announced by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Adamu Aliero.

The representatives, at the meeting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Usman Nafada, in a near-unanimous vote, called Mr. Aliero’s decision unconstitutional and anti-poor, and asked two of its committees to conduct public hearing on the increase.

The vote was opposed by one member, Sada Jibia, from Katsina State.

The minister was instructed to maintain the former charges while he awaits the outcome of the hearing and possibly new laws that will guide the executive arm of government on future increment.

“If the minister thinks Abuja should be exclusively for the rich, let him know that Abuja belongs to every Nigerian – rich and poor,” said Emmanuel Bello, a member from Adamawa State.

The representatives’ rebuke comes after complaints from Nigerians against the rate increases which the Senate FCT committee had earlier condemned as well.

Less than a year after assuming office, Mr. Aliero had reviewed the rates on lands in the Federal Capital Territory from N2,000 to N18,000 per square metre in serviced areas and N5,000 to N10,000 for the same dimension in un-serviced areas. The serviced areas are those of Asokoro, Maitama, and Wuse 11.

Although the senators advised a reversal, the minister told them the new rates have been approved by the Federal Executive Council and cannot not be overturned until the council thinks otherwise.

His argument has been that the charges will fetch more funds for the FCT which depends largely, for now, on the land as its only resource, having been removed in 2004 from the federation account. The proceeds realised from the new drive, will enable quicker development of newer districts within the territory which for now has only two of its phases developed, he said.

An illegal policy

But adopting the resolutions of a motion moved yesterday by Chukwudi Eze from Imo State, the House said the minister’s excuse that the increment will reduce land racketeering, make land and houses available to Nigerians and generate funds may be acceptable but illegal, because it was not scrutinised nor approved by the National Assembly.

“The House is further concerned that any decision taken by the Minister of the FCT or any officers in the executive that imposes financial burden on the citizenry requires the prior scrutiny and approval of the National Assembly,” Mr. Eze said.

The Minority Leader, Mohammed Ndume, said the unilateral increment by the minister is an “impeachable offence”, while Abdul Ningi blamed the problem on alleged serial abuse of power by past and present ministers of the territory.

“The Constitution is like a traffic light; if it shows green, then you move if it shows you green then you go ahead,” he said during the Tuesday debate. “This is an FCT that has been so bastardised by previous ministers. Any minister that comes after the other destroys who was there before.” As Minister of the Federal Territory, the Mr. Aliero serves as the governor of the territory, subject to laws made for the FCT by the National Assembly which serves as its House of Assembly.