By John Onah (ABUJA) –
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has concluded arrangements to revoke undeveloped plots of land in serviced areas in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, which were allocated to individuals and corporate organisations.
Director of Information and Customer Service, Abuja Geographical Information System/Land (AGIS /Lands), Alhaji Muhammad Sule, said this in a statement today.
Sule also said that the administration would soon commence revocation of plots allocated to various developers under the Mass Housing Scheme but remained undeveloped since allocations were made.
He explained that the measure had become necessary because the government had expended a huge sums of money in the provision of basic infrastructures in these areas and would not allow them to remain unutilized.
Sule revealed that already, the FCT Administration had taken inventory of the developed and undeveloped plots including Mass Housing across the territory and would soon act by revoking the undeveloped titles and reallocate same to serious developers.
According to him, some of the plots were allocated in the FCT for a very long time for different purposes including private residential, commercial, as well as Mass Housing with terms and conditions that some developers have failed to comply with.
According to him, some of the allocation papers have been kept in briefcases without considering the terms and or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the Government.
“By not developing these huge plots of land allocated to them in line with the terms of allocation and MoU entered into with the government, the defaulting developers have denied access to affordable housing to thousands of residents who are desirous of owning houses in the FCT.
“For instance, the FCT Administration came up with the concept of mass housing to bridge the housing gap and meet the housing needs of the residents.
“There is the need to remind all those with such allocations to do the needful because the FCT Administration had in the past allocated huge plots of land in various districts for mass housing projects across the Territory.
“But sadly, some of these allottees are yet to develop them,” Sule said.
He explained that the FCTA had carried out several sensitisations both in the print and electronic media for them to be responsive by developing the same in line with the terms of allocations, yet, some of the developers remained adamant.
The director, however, called on all allottees of mass housing plots in the territory that have developed them to submit the names of their subscribers or beneficiaries to the AGIS and Land Administration Department for the necessary documentation.
He added that this would be followed with the issuance of Rights of Occupancy and the Certificates of Occupancy that would be bankable.
Sule said that it was in furtherance that the FCT Administration recently launched the Accelerated Area Council and Sectional Titles Re-issuance Scheme (AACSTRIS) to drive home the important policy.
He commended a few of the Mass Housing Developers that have complied with the terms of the agreement entered into with the authorities.