Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that landowners might lose their properties to government over failure to develop it after two years.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja, Director of Land Administration in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said that the reforms will become operational from April 21, 2025.
He said the reforms cover specific areas like conditions of grant of Statutory Right of Occupancy, contents of the Statutory Right of Occupancy Bill, contents of Letter of Acceptance/Refusal of offer of grant of Right of Occupancy, titling of Mass Housing and sectional interests, as well as regularization of Area Council Land documents.
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Chijioke said: “This has caused delay in revenue receivable due to non-collection of Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) and non-payment of bills, slower pace of infrastructural development, sustained land speculation and racketeering while the FCT Administration has incurred huge expenses through repeated advertisements and publications notifying the public on the need for collection of R-of-O and timely payment of bills and charges.
“Consequently, as against the unspecified period within which to collect the Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) and make full payment of the Statutory Right of Occupancy bills and charges, land allottees now have 21 days from the date of offer, to make full payment of all bills, fees, rents and charges prescribed on offers of Statutory Rights of Occupancy and submit a duly completed Letter of acceptance alongside evidence of payments, or lose the offer.
“Also, as against the lengthy period within which to develop allocated lands, the period within which to erect and complete developments on any land granted in the FCT is now two years from the date of the commencement of the R-of-O.
“Therefore, any R-of-O bills and any other payments made outside the stipulated 21 days shall be considered invalid while any land granted should be developed within two years.”
