ABUJA: Wike’s New Task Force Gets One Month To Revoke C-of-O Of Erring Landowners

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated a committee tasked with revoking Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) belonging to erring landowners.

The task force, led by Estate Surveyor Michael O. Chinda, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Lands, Urban and Regional Planning, and supported by the Executive Secretary of FCDA as its secretary, has a one-month timeline to conclude its assignment.

Other members of the Task Force include the Directors of Land, AGIS, Development Control, Mass Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, and Surveying and Mapping departments, this task force aims to address specific issues outlined by the FCT Minister.

According to the FCT Minister, their primary objective is to ensure that every house within the Mass Housing Estates in the FCT secures a C of O which will be obtained through payments by the allottees.

The task force is also charged with the responsibility of imposing penalties on allottees who have breached land use regulations within the FCT.

The FCT Minister expressed concern over numerous instances where residential allocations have been converted into commercial spaces.

While emphasizing the need to generate revenue for developmental projects, the Minister stressed the importance of enforcing controlled development practices in compliance with existing laws within the FCT.
The Minister said, “The purpose of setting up the task force is to make sure that all the Mass Housing, each of the houses owns a C of O and they have to pay for it. And then for those who have contravened land use, those that were given approval for residential and converted it to commercial—those who have been given for commercial and they contravened by building residential, there must be penalties. And the only way people will be deterred from doing this is to make sure that we discourage them, and discouraging them means that if you want to do it, you have a penalty to pay, and that penalty must be severe.”

Wike also issued directives to the Task Force, to make provisions for land allottees in the Area Councils who lack certificates of occupancy for their plots to enable them to get the land documents. He directed the Committee to advertise what is to be paid.

Expressing concern over instances where mass housing land allocations are sold off by developers, the Minister urged the task force to maintain diligence in their operations, adding that he will personally monitor its activities.

The minister also disclosed that Zenith Bank Plc has been mandated to provide the necessary funds for the task force’s operations, clarifying that any funds collected through the task force will be deposited with the bank.

Wike further issued a stern warning against defaulters that he will not entertain any plea once the Committee commences its work, noting that the FCT, as a non-oil state, relies on internally generated revenue to carry out development projects.

He said, “I’m not interested in who did not comply. I don’t want anybody to write to me that please, the Task Force came, help me. I’m not going to do that. Even if I minute to you, don’t act on it. Pressure can come all over. So, even if you see my minute saying please treat, put it aside because Nigerians like to put pressure.”