Reps intervene in land charge controversy

The National Assembly will hold a public hearing

this week on the controversy surrounding the decision of the Federal Capital

Territory Authority (FCTA) to increase the land charges by almost 900 per cent.

The hike has caused a rift between the FCTA and

the National Assembly, as the House of Representatives (lawmakers to the FCTA)

has promised to reverse the 900 percent increase on land fees charge after the

public hearing fixed for Thursday.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives,

last August, asked the FCT minister, Mohammed Adamu Aliero, to reverse his

administration’s decision to increase the charges, though the minister is

insisting he would not do such.

With the new land rates, certificate of occupancy

for a plot of land in a fully serviced district, such as Maitama, will cost

about N45 million. Mass housing developers are, however, not affected by the

increase.

In his defence of the decision, Mr. Aliero argued

that the federal capital is grossly underdeveloped because of lack of funds. He

said about N300 billion will be required by the administration to complete

ongoing projects within the city and with the old rates, it will take about 15

years to develop the territory. He argued that the land use act of 1978

empowers him to periodically increase land rents.

“I am not the first minister to increase land

rents, my predecessors increased by over 2500 per cent. The only resources we

have in FCT is land and we have to make good use of it. “With the old rates, it

is only land speculators that benefit from land prices in the city.” The House

of Representatives, through its committees on FCT area councils and the FCTA,

said they have decided to hold a public hearing on the case so that members of

the public could also express their views on the matter.

In its special invitation, the lawmakers had

summoned both Mr. Aliero and junior minister for the FCTA, Chuka Odom; area

council chairmen, heads of departments and, all experts involved on land

matters including major contractors handling FCT projects for the hearing.

In a widely publicised invitation to the

authorities of the FCTA and residents of the Abuja, the chairman of the House

Committees on FCT and the one on FCT Area Councils, David Idoko and Antai Ali

asked all people who might feel aggrieved by the new charges to prepare well

ahead of the meeting.

Some residents, especially landlords affected by

the new rates, have expressed their willingness to storm the National Assembly

venue to present their cases to the lawmakers.

Estate surveyors and property developers told

NEXT that the new rate would lead to an increase in the cost of living within

the FCT, as the cost of renting properties would increase to accommodate the

new charges.

“In the end, everybody will be affected by the

cascade of price increases that will follow,” Lawrence Ogunade, a real estate

agent said.

Talk of

cooperation

The former minister of the FCT, Nasir Ahmed el

Rufai also had to fight opposition from lawmakers over some of his policies,

including demolition and revocation of plots of lands.

However, a Senior Special Assistant to the

minister, Diran Onifade said in a telephone interview in Abuja that FCT

authorities are cooperating with lawmakers towards resolving the matter.

“The minister is aware of the invitation and is fully cooperating with the

lawmakers,” Mr. Onifade said.