CofO: Wike threatens revocation of land titles over non-payment of fees

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened to revoke any land title in the FCT over failure to pay the prescribed fees for the processing of the Certificates of Occupancy (Cs-of-O).

Accordingly, it has given a four-month ultimatum to all land title holders with Rights of Occupancy (Rs-of-O) to either pay for the processing of their Cs-of-O or have such titles revoked in accordance with the extant laws governing land administration.

The Director of Information and Communication, FCT, Muhammad Hazat Sule, said on Wednesday, in a statement, that the administration expressed dismay over the non-payment of processing fees as well as other bills by respective allottees.

It lamented that many have been granted the Rights of Occupancy but failed to pay for the Cs-of-O, thereby hampering the government from carrying out its responsibilities of providing critical services, including infrastructure for the development of the FCT.

The statement indicated that the non-payment of the fees is a violation of the terms of the grant and the existing provisions of the Land Use Act.

It explained that the violation has continued to serve as a catalyst for unbridled land speculation in the FCT, with its attendant negative impact on the infrastructural development of the territory.

The statement noted that the administration took the necessary steps to urgently stem the ugly trend by ensuring that, henceforth, only genuine land developers are allocated land in the FCT.

It revealed that the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has since given approval to this effect, and all Land Title holders that possess the Rights of Occupancy in the FCT should, as a matter of urgency, pay the requisite processing fees for the Cs-of-O or have them revoked in accordance with the statutory provisions.

It also indicated that henceforth, no Rights of Occupancy will be issued in the FCT until such allottees pay the requisite fees, bills, and evidence of such payments confirmed by the Land Administration Department.

The statement further directed all organs of the FCT Administration to put in place the necessary mechanisms for the immediate implementation of the ministerial directives.