News

By: Ben Ukeji

Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), have taken steps toward recovering the huge debt owed by property owners in the Federal Capital Territory by placing caveats on the affected properties whose cases are already in courts.

The caveat is to deny such titleholders access to the property and eventually forfeit the same to the government.

In a statement from the Director, Information and Communication, FCT, Muhammad Hazat Sule, who is also the Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of Outstanding Ground Rents and Other Land Related Charges, indicated that the Administration will continue with the prosecution of defaulters in court preparatory to obtaining a court order for the forfeiture of the affected properties.

Sule said the caveat when formally placed, will also safeguard such properties from being tampered with, especially by attempting to sell or transfer ownership, because the matter is being heard in court.

The Director said the implication is that a caveat, when placed on any property, whether developed or undeveloped, and even if, the ground rent is fully paid a written application, must be submitted, and approval obtained before it would be lifted.

He explained that the Administration is determined to recover all Ground Rent debts owed by property owners in Abuja, and all necessary procedures will be followed to achieve this.

According to him, the Administration has commenced prosecution of the defaulting titleholders, after several appeals from the FCT Administration fell on deaf ears, and the only thing that can stop the progression of this action is for the affected property owners to clear their outstanding debts.

He said the government is in court to seek an order to force debtors to clear their debts or forfeit the affected property, since they are recalcitrant in paying the debt, despite several warnings.

The FCT Administration has taken these steps to drive home the point that it is desirous of recovering the over N29 billion GroundRents owed by property owners.

It would be recalled that the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade recently inaugurated a debt recovery committee with the mandate to recover the outstanding debts owed to the FCT Administration with a particular interest in ground rents and other sundry fees in the Land Administration as well as other Land related departments.

The Administration has only last month, announced its preparedness to prosecute about 413 defaulting property owners by the end of August 2022.

The government insisted that since all entreaties have failed, it has no other option than to commence the prosecution of the first batch of the defaulting property owners.

The Coordinating Committee on the Recovery of Outstanding Ground Rent and Other Related Charges in the FCT under the Chairmanship of the FCT General Counsel/Secretary Legal Services Secretariat, Mohammed Babangida Umar, assured the public that there will be no sacred cows as the law will surely take its course, because the only language it will understand is for the debtors to clear their debts.

By: Wisdom Acka

The Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Limited (ABC), managers of Aso Radio and Television said it was targeting to raise N1 billion capital to drive reforms embarked upon and run the corporation effectively as a commercial enterprise.

Managing Director, ABC Ltd., Ibrahim Lawan Damisa disclosed this when members of the FCT Minister’s Press Corps, paid him a courtesy visit over the weekend on Katampe Hills, Abuja.

Damisa said: “When we came into office in 2017, we met abandoned equipments that depreciated due to technological advancement. We want to commercialise this place to run it as an enterprise. Thank God we have put in place an organisation we can all be proud of.”

“One Billion Naira capitalisation is our dream. For us to fully commercialize, we must be seen and heard at all times”, he said.

The MD stated that part of reforms carried out under him, which repositioned the organization on the right path include on-the-hand training of the Corporation’s personnel as well as upgrading of service to DSTV channel 392.

He added that he was able to record the achievements so far through “perseverance and strategic thinking”, which has necessitated the leap forward even during economic challenges.

Revealing plans by ABC to change its model of covering Abuja, Damisa noted that the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello was a quiet achiever, who did not like showmanship, but has turned the Territory into a construction site.

His words “Abuja is practically a construction site. There are projects everywhere; not only in the City Centre, but also in the satellite towns”.

Damisa disclosed that he was coming out with programmes such as Abuja File, City Managers and Abuja Master Plan to focus on showcasing these achievements and reporting Abuja much more effectively.

Damisa stressed that land was Abuja’s significant and God-given resource which required special focus to educate investors coming into the Territory to be aware of how to go about land acquisition and usage, so as to help them avoid experiencing challenges.

Making case for professional journalism, the MD tasked the media on ethics of the profession, regretting the havoc wrecked by interlopers through citizens journalism, where verification -a
critical tool in the profession, is usually relegated to the back
ground.

Damisa, therefore, thanked Mallam Bello, Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani-Aliyu, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola and members of the Press for their continued support.

Earlier, Chairman of the Press Corps, Hudu Yakubu commended the mentorship, which the Managing Director has over the years provided to the younger people in the profession. 

Yakubu noted that the Aso Radio and Television have experienced tremendous transformation, following the unparalleled commitment, which the management team of the corporation have shown.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Special Duties Farida Odangi Suleiman (right) being sworn into office by Hon. Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on Monday, 12th September, 2022. First Left is FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and second left is the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola.

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