The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is making changes to land management in Abuja.
They have given a four-month deadline to all landowners to pay for the processing of their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) or risk losing their land titles.
What is Happening?
The FCTA is warning all landowners who have Rights of Occupancy (Rs-of-O) to pay the required fees for their C-of-O.
If they don’t pay within four months, the government could take away their land titles based on existing laws.
Why This Matters
According to Ekarikpong Ukpanah, the Director of Land Administration in the FCT, many landowners have not paid their processing fees and other bills.
This is a violation of the Land Use Act and the terms of the land grant.
Failing to pay these fees is also leading to increased land speculation, where people hold onto land without developing it.
This slows down the growth of infrastructure in Abuja.
The Government’s Response
To fix this problem, the FCTA is taking serious steps.
They want to make sure that only genuine land developers who are committed to using their land get to keep it.
The Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has approved this plan.
He wants all landowners with Rights of Occupancy to pay their C-of-O fees immediately or have their titles revoked.
What You Should Do
If you own land in Abuja and have a Right of Occupancy, it is important to pay your fees for the C-of-O as soon as possible.
If you do not pay within four months, you could lose your land title.
The FCTA is serious about making sure that land is used properly for the development of the city.
