The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike has refused to grant the request of the Acting Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to reverse the Customs land within the capital city that was revoked by the minister.
The Customs boss, who during a courtesy visit today, October 19, begged the minister to reverse the revocation of its plot in the serviced part of the FCT, got a blunt response from the Minister, who warned that such request will not be honoured.
“If we say we will give you back the land that we have revoked, it would look as if we are not serious.Every agency of government will come. “Nigeria is such a country that the moment they hear that we have given it back to Customs, all the other agencies will also come back.”
He said however that he would grant the request of the Customs boss for a land to build a school for staff but that the allocation would be approved on the condition that the Agency commits to a timeline for its development as well as make payment for ground rent.
“I will not allocate land that will be till thy kingdom come. You must convince me that really you are serious about building schools for your staff and their children within a number of years and if that is not done, FCT will take back the land.
“Even though the condition for granting certificate of occupancy is that you must pay your ground rent, I want to go further and say that in granting you this, that you must pay your ground rent as at when due.
“Even though it is stated in the C of O, this time around, we shall not give you notice to pay.
“A tenant must know he is a debtor. You don’t need your landlord to come and tell you that you have not paid for land. You know you are a debtor.”
The Minister stressed that he is out to discourage land speculation in the FCT, saying that he will not hesitate to revoke any allocation that is not developed within a specified period.
“My policy now, before I approve land to any agency, that agency will commit that it will develop this land within so, so number of years. If you do not develop, the FCT should take back your land.”
Rarlier, the Acting Comptroller General, Adewale had expressed confidence that the Minister will leave a record of performance in the FCT, with transparency and integrity.
He assured the Minister that compliance with FCT laws and regulations is a very important mandate of the Service, adding that the FCT, as the location of its Headquarters and Command, is very critical and strategic to its operations.
