FCTA Threatens to Publish Names of High Profile N29bn Ground Rent Debtors
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of Outstanding Ground Rent and Other Related Charges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has said it might be compelled to reveal the identity of the N29 billion ground rent debt in upscale Asokoro and Maitama districts in the nation’s capital, despite several appeals by the Administration.
In a statement yesterday, Director, Information and Communication, FCT, Muhammad Hazat Sule, said the action had become necessary to shame defaulters, since they were recalcitrant in paying their prescribed fees.
“The Committee is at liberty and may consider publishing the names of all those, who have refused to honour their statutory obligation by clearing their outstanding liabilities, especially those whose cases are before the appropriate court of law.
“The publication of the names of the debtors that have already been charged to court, the Committee believes will send a strong message to the debtors that the FCT Administration is determined to recover the huge debt owed it by property owners in the Territory,” Sule said.
A caveat has also been placed to deny such titleholders access to the property, and eventually forfeit same to the government.
The FCTA noted that the caveat formally placed would safeguard such properties from being tampered with, especially by attempting to sell or transfer ownership, because the matter is being heard in court.
He added the FCTA would continue with the prosecution of defaulters in courts preparatory to obtaining a court order for the forfeiture of the affected properties.
He said the idea of making the names public was to expose the defaulters and public shame them to discourage those with similar kinds of attitude.
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 a particular interest in ground rents and other sundry fees in the Land Administration as well as other Land related departments.
