Land Use contravention: FCTA reads riot act to land allottees without C-of-O

…issues 4-month revocation notice

Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA has issued strong revocation warning to land allottees issued with Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) in the FCT, but have failed or neglected to process their respective Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O).
This, according to the FCT Administration, which is a gross violation of the terms of grant and extant provisions of the Land Use Act has continued to serve as a catalyst for unbridled land speculation with the attendant negative implications on the infrastructural development of the FCT.
To halt the trend, all current holders of Statutory Rights of Occupancy in respect to land titles in the FCT are urged to pay their bills and fees for the processing of their Certificates of Occupancy within 4 months from the 12th of August, 2024 or else their titles will be revoked in accordance with Statutory stipulations.
This was contained in a recent statement signed by Director, FCT Department of Land Administration, TPL. Ekarikpong I. Ukpanah for: Honourable Minister, FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
The statement read in parts: “The Federal Capital Territory Administration has observed with dismay that several land allottees that have been issued with Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) in the FCT have failed, refused and neglected to pay the requisite fees for the processing of their Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O), thereby hampering the efforts of the FCT Administration, in providing infrastructure to the respective districts of the FCT.
“The conduct described above which is a violation of the terms of grant and extant provisions of the Land Use Act has continued to serve as a catalyst for unbridled land speculation with the attendant negative implications on the infrastructural development of the FCT.
“To stem this ugly trend and to ensure that only genuine land developers are allocated land in the FCT, the Honorable Minister of the FCT, Barr. Ezenwo Wike has approved that all current holders of Statutory Rights of Occupancy in respect to Land titles in the FCT should pay their bills and fees for the processing of their Certificates of Occupancy within 4 months from the 12th of August, 2024 or else their titles will be revoked in accordance with Statutory stipulations.”
It added that henceforth, “no Right of Occupancy shall be issued in the FCT until the requisite fees and bills have been paid and evidence of such payments confirmed by the FCT Department of Land Administration.”
It equally opined that appropriate organs of the FCT Administration have been directed to commence necessary measures towards the immediate implementation of the directive.