The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened that it would not hesitate to revoke or sanction any property owner in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who fails to pay his or her Ground Rents.
The Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), Isa Jalo, disclosed this during a meeting with journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
The Director said that the FCT Administration had arrived at this decision after several public enlightenment and warnings to property owners in (FCT) to settle their outstanding Ground Rents, failed to yield the desired results.
Jalo reiterated that it was necessary for property owners to pay their proscribed fees to enable the government to carry out its statutory duties, especially fixing the infrastructural deficit in the Territory.
He emphasized that payment of Ground Rents is a legal responsibility of any property owner as enshrined in the Land Use Act of 1978 and upon accepting the offer it becomes incumbent on the beneficiaries to abide by the law.
“We have carried out several public enlightenments to sensitize and create awareness on the need for property owners to come forward and settle their liabilities, yet some of them remain adamant.
“Hence, the FCT Administration has no other option than wield the big stick as the law will strictly be adhered to because the government requires these funds to provide security and basic infrastructure,” he said.
Jalo advised all plot allottees in the Federal Capital Territory to always register their transactions relating to their property with the Abuja Geographic Information Systems and Land Administration Department in order to assist in firming up necessary data on property owners in real-time.
