… Orders payment of N5 million for C of O
… to seek approval of the President to provide NIN to obtain C of O
Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he has saved a sum of money—N110 billion—for the administration in three months.
He made this announcement during a high-level meeting with an estate developer in Abuja and expressed his dissatisfaction with the rate at which fake Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) are being issued through land processes. Wike also expressed his concern about corrupt officials in the administration.
During the meeting, Wike ordered that N5 million be paid to acquire a C of O. He further stated that he would seek the permission of President Bola Tinubu to add a National Identification Number (NIN) to any C of O that would be issued by his administration.
“I have saved N110 billion for FCTA since my assumption of office three months ago.
“Allocation of [one] land to three or more persons will no longer be allowed. C of O enables you to do business.
“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will not. We are ready for such a fight.
“When I was governor of Rivers State, 3 C of Os were given by FCT on my land, and we later discovered that the C of Os given to us were fake after we had paid N57 million for the lands.
“I will seek the president’s permission to link any C of O to the NIN number. The rich men will kick against it, but anything that will help our people must be done.
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“Support this move. You will attest to the fact that there are changes. How will you feel that, at the end of the day, you have a C of O, but it is fake? Over the past 10 years, some people have not paid, and now the 5 million looks big for them”, he said.
Wike emphasised that it will no longer be business as usual, where three or more people are allocated the same plot of land with a fake C of O.
He recounted his experience as the governor of Rivers State, where he was given a fake C of O by some officials of the FCTA. He also criticised the payment of N8.9 billion as a monthly salary for CTA and FCDA workers.
The developers at the meeting appealed to the Minister to reduce the N5 million payment required for the C of O.
Read also: Violators of Abuja Land Use Act to face penalties— Wike vows
After an intensive appeal by the developers, the minister agreed that the payment could be made within four months, after which the C of O could be handed over to the applicant. Wike further stated that he would seek the president’s permission to link any C of O to the NIN number.
He believes that this move will help to eliminate the fake C of O and promote transparency.
Wike encouraged the developers to support this move, emphasising that it is necessary to provide a city that everyone can be proud of and that he is willing to fight for it.
