Senate Sets Up Panel to Recover N6tn Ground Rents from Property Owners…

The Senate yesterday set up an ad hoc committee to investigate and recover the over N6 trillion which accrued from the non-payment of ground rent from property owners across the country.

The resolution of the Senate to investigate and recover the over N6 trillion which accrued from the non-payment of ground rent from property owners across the country, followed a motion by Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central) who cited orders 41 and 51 of the senate standing rules.

He said the Land Use Act has vested ownership rights on the federal government over its land in states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Senator stated that the rights included the power to control and regulate town planning and physical development in relation to such lands and by extension prescribing and collection of any tax, fees or rates.

He noted with concern that since 1992, over two million houses across the 36 states of the federation, including FCT had been built and allocated to beneficiaries by the federal government, yet majority have no evidence of payment of ground rent on their properties.

He said that with the current revenue challenges facing the country, there was need for the government to look into other means of generating income than relying on oil revenue.

He added that investigation revealed that the failure of relevant authorities to recover these funds had led the country loosing over N6 trillion.

The Senators took turns to call on the federal government to come up with a computerised system where all allotted lands and properties, persons yet to pay and fashion out mode of recovering the funds.

The senate resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the inability of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to investigate and recover incomes for the government.