Barrister Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has given 189 property owners who have secured Building Plan Approvals but have yet to begin work on their property a three-month deadline to do so or have them revoked.
Among those granted the three-month extension are 21 embassies and 168 others.
The Embassy of Ireland, Embassy of France, Canadian High Commission, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Embassy of Turkey, Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Angola, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Embassy of the Philippines, and Tanzania High Commission are among the diplomatic missions.
Embassies of Syria, Iran, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Thailand, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Côte d’Ivoire, Argentina, Togo, Indonesia, and other government institutions, including the FCT Administration, are also present.
The Abuja National Mosque Council, Abuja National Mosque Management Committee, Daily Times of Nigeria, Elf Petroleum, Access Bank, Federal Housing Authority, Adamu Ajuji Waziri, Isa Yuguda, Eyitayo Lambo, Abba Gana, Mohammed Abubakar Rimi, Nigerian Navy, Gamji Construction Limited, Lagos State Liaison Office, Nigeria Customs Service, John Kennedy Opara, Federal Fire Service, and others have also been given three months.
Muhammad Hazat Sule, the FCTA’s Director of Information and Communication, confirmed this in a statement made over the weekend. “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has graciously approved a three-month grace period from the date of this publication for… titleholders who have obtained building plan approvals to begin development of their plots; failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right-of-Occupancy,” according to the statement.
“Accordingly, the affected property owners are to do so within the stipulated period or have their title revoked in line with the provisions of the law,” said Sule.
He said the gesture has only been extended to both individuals and corporate organizations who have shown desire to develop their property by obtaining Building Plan approvals but are yet to start proper development on their property situated within the Federal Capital City FCC.
“Similarly, public institutions that have land titles within the Federal Capital City but are yet to develop same, have also been given a grace period of three months to commence development in order to avoid sanction.
“Thus, the Minister has extended this gesture to 189 property owners due to their desire to develop the property by obtaining Building Plan Approvals which is a prerequisite for development of any property in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The owners of these plots were exempted from revocation because they have already demonstrated firm commitment towards developing their property by obtaining necessary documents from the FCT Administration,” Sule added.
He urged the affected property owners to take advantage of the Minister’s gesture and develop their plots as published in some National Dailies, in line with the terms of Offer of the Right-Of-Occupancy.
“The FCT Administration, therefore, appealed to the affected Public Institutions who have been allocated plots within the FCC to commence development of their plots, failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy.
“The plots in these categories belong to individuals and corporate organizations, as well as Public Institutions who have continually failed to keep to the terms of agreement as contained in Section 28(5) (a) & (b) of the Land Use Act offering and conveying of the Right of Occupancy,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Wike has revoked the ownership of 21 pieces of land in Abuja’s Central Business District (CBD).
According to a revocation notification issued by Mr Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary in the FCT Administration, the minister made the decision “in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) & (b) of the Land Use Act 1978.”
He stated that the lands had been revoked “for continued violation of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy, namely non-development.”
Among those affected by the cancellation are Lowe Lintas, Tourist Company of Nigeria, Coscharis Motors, CFA Motors, and Chidol Properties.