Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has said that his administration will only allocate land to agencies of government that show commitment and capacity to develop them within a specific time.
Wike said this in Abuja on Thursday when the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
According to Wike, the decision is to discourage land speculation in the FCT, warning that his administration 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 the land.”
Responding to a request by the acting customs boss for land allocation to construct a school for the staff of the agency, Wike said the allocation would be approved on the condition that the agency commits to a timeline for its development and makes payment for ground rent.
“I will not allocate land that will be till Thursday kingdom come. You must convince me that really you are serious to build schools for your staff and their children within a number of years and if that is not done, FCT will take back the land.”
He added that even though the condition for granting a certificate of occupancy is that an individual must pay ground rent, the person must pay ground rent when it is due.