Andrew Tarker, Abuja
Property owners in Asokoro and Maitama Districts of the Federal Capital City, Abuja are owing the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the whooping sum of N3,197,148,997.48, constituting 20 percent of the total outstanding ground rents debts.
It would be recalled that the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade inaugurated a debt recovery committee with the mandate to recover the outstanding debts owed the FCT Administration with particular interest in ground rents and other sundry fees in the Land Administration as well as other Land related departments.
The FCTA has taken bold steps toward recovering these huge debts owed it by property owners by filing cases against the violators in courts. However, the cases are being prosecuted in batches beginning with the two highbrow areas of Asokoro and Maitama Districts respectively.
Accordingly, 1,504 and 1,475 demand notices meant for Asokoro and Maitama Districts amounting to 2,979 have been served on the defaulting titleholders in these districts through courier services.
Meanwhile, several cases are already pending in the courts. The Administration filed the cases seeking the court to either compel the debtors to pay the debts or forfeit their property to the government.
The FCTA had earlier placed litigation caveat on the affected properties whose cases are already in courts to tighten all loose ends and restrict transactions on such property, including illegal transfer of ownership.
The Administration it was gathered is determined to recover all Ground Rent debts owed it by property owners in Abuja, and all necessary procedure will be followed to achieve this. Government commenced the prosecution of the defaulting titleholders after several appeals from the FCT Administration for them to pay their debts fell on deaf ears.