Regarding ground rents in the FCT, Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the territory, has criticised Minister Nyesom Wike.
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Failure to pay ground rent should not be the only basis for seizing, revoking, or sealing a property, according to Kingibe. In response to the current events in the nation’s capital, the senator cautioned Wike against breaking the law.
The owners of more than 4,700 properties were reportedly revoked by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) at Wike’s direction because they had allegedly failed to pay ground rent for decades, according to Furucinovel.
On Monday, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ibro Hotels, the Peoples Democratic Party secretariat, and other properties were sealed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened and granted the defaulters a grace period of 14 days to settle their rents.
In response to the exercise, Senator Kingibe cited the Land Use Act, which states that the penalty for such default cannot be more severe than a fine or surcharge and cannot include the forcible seizure or sealing of the property without following the procedures outlined in Section 42 of the mentioned law and other applicable provisions.
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Individuals, families, and company owners are already dealing with a lot of financial stress, and the sealing of properties without sufficient notification, involvement, or following legal procedure just makes things worse.
These acts jeopardise livelihoods, damage public faith in institutions, and threaten to upset the delicate social and economic equilibrium in the FCT.
I will not sit on my hands as long as the people of the Federal Capital Territory continue to be exposed to enforcement techniques that go against established laws and make their misery worse.
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She assured the public that she is in constant communication with the appropriate authorities and is looking into all possible legislative options to guarantee that any enforcement measures adhere to the principles of justice, compassion, and the rule of law.
She argues that while it’s important to enforce regulations and tax duties, doing so legally, fairly, and with consideration for the economic realities that inhabitants are currently facing is crucial. Keep calm and obey the law, the lawnmower pleaded with the locals and business owners.