FCTA takes Abuja landlords to court over N29.5bn ground rent debts

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun the prosecution of defaulting titleholders who’re yet to pay their Ground Rents debts.

The government has explained that the court cases were filed after the owners of the property ignored entreaties to pay the prescribed land chargers.

The FCTA Director of Information, Muhammad Sule, via a statement on Sunday revealed that those affected were given opportunity to clear the N29.5 billion debt.

The government has made announcement of its preparedness to prosecute the first set of 413 defaulting landlords by the end of August 2022.

Sule has lamented that a certain number of debtors failed to react to several warnings and appeals, thereby putting into jeopardy the government’s effort to provide critical services to the residents.

Adesola Olusade, the FCT Permanent Secretary, had instituted a debt recovery committee to re-accumulate unpaid rents and other sundry fees in Land Administration.

The Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of Outstanding Ground Rent and Other Related Charges is controlled by Mohammed Umar, the FCT General Counsel/Secretary Legal Secretariat.

The team engaged five law firms, owned by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), to prepare legal documents to commence legal action against the defaulting titleholders.

The FCTA assured that it will not retreat in pursuing the legal option as it needs funds to provide infrastructural development.

“There will be no sacred cows as the law will surely take its course because the only language it will understand is for the debtors to clear their outstanding debt”, Sule added.

In July, the administration revealed districts in Abuja with the highest number of debtors. Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse and Garki topped the list.

Daily Post