The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that his administration is not interested in repossessing lands belonging to ground rent debtors, but in ensuring that the allottees pay their taxes for the development of the territory.
According to The PUNCH, the minister stated this after inspecting ongoing projects in the FCT including the 10-lane 15-kilometre Apo-Wasa Road, the Court of Appeal Complex in Jabi District, and the Saburi – Dei Dei Road, on Tuesday.
Wike, who was talking about the possibility of extending the deadline for payments of ground rents beyond January 3, 2025, said there will be no more grace for defaulters, noting that property tax was the territory’s major source of revenue for development.
“As to whether there will be another grace, I don’t think we will do that. Like I have always said, Nigerians don’t like to comply. These allocations were done more than 10 years ago. It was not as if it was done during our own time, and you know Abuja does not have anything other than property to tax, for us to have development.
“So, we have been able to do justice by making sure that people are going to abide and comply.
“Our interest is not to have the lands back, our interest is for them to pay so we can use the funds for the development of the FCT. Now, we are talking about roads.
“How will you get the roads done without people complying and paying? So, we will not. I don’t think we will want to give another date of grace. After it expires, we will reallocate all those lands to other interested people,” he said.
