Mass housing developers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who failed to comply with the statutory requirements for their development or defaulted in payments will soon face the law.
Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla gave this indication on Thursday when he visited the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The chairman revealed that the action is sequel to intelligence reports and petitions received by the panel from concerned stakeholders.
According to him, out of the over 300 beneficiaries of mass housing land in the FCT, only 64 developers have completed and signed lease agreement, while a whopping 79 percent have failed to comply with statutory requirements and payments.
He said the N1 billion fees collected so far, falls short of what should have been realized by FCTA.
The chairman expressed concern over reports of fraudulent leasing of land for mass housing development by initial beneficiaries as well as cases of non-payment of rates and fees amounting to billions of naira.
Also to come under scrutiny are civil servants who were alleged to be complicit in these fraudulent deals that robbed government of billions of naira.
He explained that the panel was constituted in August 2017 by the Federal Government of Nigeria, pursuant to the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act, CAP R4, LFN, 2004, with a mandate to investigate the assets of private persons and public officers perceived to have engaged in corrupt practices or in anyway breached the provision of the Code of Conduct.
Obono-Obla said the panel is ready to collaborate with FCTA to recover public funds from the developers who have by their acts of non-compliance to extant regulations and statutory requirements, committed acts of economic adversity.
He indicated the readiness of the panel to expose civil servants who might have possibly collaborated with developers to violate extant rules and procedures.
Part of the recovery activities, he said, will require the lease beneficiaries to appear before the panel at a meeting place agreed with the FCTA.
Responding the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello stressed that it is good that the panel has zeroed on land administration and by extension, mass housing, with respect to investigating what has gone wrong as well as moved to recover revenues that have been lost or under collected.
The minister stated that FCTA needs every kobo that is due to it, whether uncollected or collected but not remitted, to make funds available for infrastructure development in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said FCTA will help to fast track the work of the panel by making available the FCDA Conference hall because it is contiguous with all the relevant FCT departments and has all the facilities and ambiance that will make the work of the committee much easier.
The FCT Minister, underscored the critical place of infrastructure in the development of any modern city, saying, “We’ve concentrated on completing major infrastructural projects.
“The key to Nigeria’s economic development is infrastructure and infrastructure requires massive amount of money.
“That is why we are very keen in giving you massive support for you to be able to discharge your mandate.”
Bello added that funding for FCTA has shrunk over the years as the territory continues to mature.
A release made available to Viewpoint Housing News by the Chief Press Secretary to FCTA, Mr Cosmas Uzodinma quoted the minister as vowing that government will go after every kobo that is due to the administration.
