C-of-O: FG threatens land revocation for non-payment of debts
The federal government has served a 60-day notice to all federal Certificates-of-Occupancy title owners in Nigeria, requiring payment of outstanding debts or the revocation of their land certificates.At the 29th Conference of Directors of Lands in Abuja, Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ahmed Dangiwa stressed that the federal government has lost trillions of naira in revenue as a result of continued noncompliance, according to Arise News.
During the two-day event's opening ceremony, Dangiwa also stated that several residents' groups managing federal government property have been preventing ministry workers from entering estates for billing and enforcement purposes over non-payments.
The conference had the title, "Equitable Land Stewardship: Challenges of Land Administration and its Impact on Climate Change and Community Rights."
Dangiwa stated, "I want to use this opportunity to address important concerns that are impeding the government's capacity to maximize the revenue producing potential of its landed assets. The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is aware that numerous owners of titled properties have been failing to pay ground rent and other statutory charges to the ministry for many years.
"Noncompliance has cost the federal government trillions of naira in income. Under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, this cannot be condoned because the revenue is critical to delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda to Nigerians.
"As a result, all federal C of O title owners are hereby given a 60-day notice to pay all outstanding ground rent and statutory charges." Failure to make payment within this time frame will result in the revocation of their certificate of occupancy."
He recognized many issues in Nigerian land management, including the complexity of the country's land laws, particularly the Land Use Act of 1978, which he stated continues to present considerable obstacles.
Dangiwa further stated that the lengthy, expensive, and confusing processes for land titling and registration deter many Nigerians from formalizing land ownership.
Furthermore, he emphasized the lack of legal land titles, which limits landowners' capacity to obtain loans and use their land as a financial asset, particularly in rural areas.
Dangiwa underlined the tension between formal legal frameworks and traditional land tenure arrangements, particularly in rural regions, which causes ambiguity and stymies land transactions.
He also mentioned numerous other issues, such as limited access to property information, inconsistent land laws and policies, inefficient dispute resolution systems, corruption, land grabbing, and noncompliance with statutory requirements regarding government-owned land assets.
According to him, the delayed and inadequate systems for resolving land disputes contribute to long-term conflicts that impede development, posing a serious challenge in the sector.
Dangiwa stated that the ministry is prioritizing land governance issues and has made significant progress, including the implementation of a new regime of revised crop and economic tree rates that is fair, equitable, and provides adequate compensation to individuals affected by government projects.
He also stated that the ministry is working with the World Bank to address Nigeria's long-standing land registration issues, since more than 90% of the country's land remains unregistered, resulting in an estimated $300 billion in dead capital.
"Let me emphasize unequivocally that we are still in an emergency situation with regard to land administration. It poses a national economic, security, and social development risk. "We must understand this and resolve to act with the necessary urgency," he continued.
Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, stated that equitable land stewardship necessitates a balanced approach to land management that takes into account not only economic development but also environmental protection and social justice.
"As Africa confronts the realities of climate change ranging from desertification in the Sahel to rising sea levels in coastal regions, our land administration systems must evolve to support climate resilience," Ogunbiyi said.
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