· Owe N8.6bn
· Defaulters could lose houses – Administration
By Sarah NEGEDU
Landlords in Asokoro, Industrial Area II and Maitama Districts are said to be the highest debtors in Abuja, owing the Federal Capital Territory Administration ground rents to the tune of N8.677billion.
The debt recovery committee of the administration set up to retrieve all outstanding ground rents owed the administration, property owners in the three districts alone are responsible for 29.41percent of the total debts being owed the FCTA.
The administration had in June, inaugurated the FCT Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of Outstanding Ground Rents with the mandate to recover the N29,506,643,943.98 owed the FCT administration.
The committee revealed that property owners in the highbrow areas of Asokoro, Industrial Area II and Maitama Districts are the highest debtors owing 10.67; 9.43 and 9.29 percent, respectively, with a combined sum of N8.677874,573.92 billion.
Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, Muhammad Sule, said the committee in the process of doing its work, has discovered that bulk of the debtors are titleholders in Asokoro, Industrial Area II and Maitama Districts, considered to be highbrow areas in the nation’s capital city, Abuja.
He disclosed that the committee is already fine-tuning legal documentations to take all property owners who have failed to pay, despite repeated warnings to court for prosecution, revocation, or outright forfeiture.
“Accordingly, property owners in Asokoro District alone constitutes 10.67 percent of the Ground Rents defaulters, while the titleholders in Industrial Area II and Maitama Districts comprise 9.43 percent and 9.29 percent respectively.”
Property owners in other Districts such as, Central Business Districts, Industrial Area I & Extension, as well as Wuse I & II are owing the Administration to the tune of 8.21 percent, 5.18 percent, 5.1 percent, and 4.81 percent, respectively.
Titleholders in Garki I & II, Katampe and Jabi Districts are in default of 3.4 percent, 3 percent, 2.21 percent, and 2.15 percent, respectively.
Property owners in other districts like Kukwaba, Gwarinpa I, Gudu, Kado, Karmo, Katampe Extention, Utako, Mabushi, Durumi, Daki-Biyu, Guzape, Jahi, Dutse Wuye and Institutions & Research are owing various degrees of percentages.
Sule, while assuring that the committee is committed to carrying out its assignment, called on all titleholders to honour their obligations to clear the debts or face legal challenge.
In his words, “It is more honorable and responsible for property owners to rush to clear their outstanding debts because it is not going to be business as usual as the government needs these funds to fast-track the infrastructural development of the Federal Capital Territory.”
Sule had earlier explained that the administration was forced to adopt the measures of prosecuting defaulting landlords due to the non-compliance by affected individuals and corporate organizations.
“Government, therefore, wish that the affected debtors will come forward and clear their outstanding debts to avoid prosecution, revocation, and forfeiture of their property.
“The Recovery Committee has already swung into action and perfected modalities towards achieving this onerous task, because the government needs resources to execute essential infrastructural projects in the Federal Capital Territory.”
