Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, declared on Wednesday that no amount of blackmail would stop him from enforcing the law on ground rents and taxes in the territory.
Wike, who made the remarks on Wednesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects ahead of their commissioning by President Bola Tinubu, said the refusal of property owners, particularly elites, to pay ground rents and other statutory taxes remains a major challenge to sustainable development in the territory.
“Let nobody think that blackmail or whatever will stop us. We will do what we are supposed to do. This is all about leadership. We will not give in to blackmail. We will do the right thing,” Wike declared.
He stressed that most of the individuals refusing to pay taxes are well aware of the consequences in countries where they own foreign properties but choose to flout the laws at home.
“It’s unfortunate that most elites who own houses overseas know the implication of not paying taxes there. They know such houses will be gone. But here, nobody wants to obey the law,” the Minister lamented.
He disclosed that the charges for ground rents may be increased soon.
“Look at the years—20-something years, 30-something years. And how much is it? We have not increased the ground rent, but we are working towards that. We will do that, I can assure. The President has given a waiver of two weeks. Let nobody think that blackmail or whatever will stop us. We will do what we are supposed to do,” he stated.
The minister also stated that he had recently signed over 1,500 Certificates of Occupancy and Deeds of Assignment, while again encouraging residents to pay their taxes and ground rents to aid development in the FCT.
Wike revealed that he has signed over 1,500 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) and property assignments, yet many of the beneficiaries fail to remit taxes to the government. He warned that the two-week window granted by President Tinubu for tax compliance will not be extended.
“You collect a C-of-O and then you don’t want to pay your taxes? It’s not acceptable. That it didn’t happen yesterday doesn’t mean it won’t happen today or tomorrow,” he warned.
The Minister reiterated the administration’s resolve to expand and maintain infrastructure across the FCT despite the financial pressure caused by widespread non-compliance.
“People want roads, lights, and water, but nobody is asking where the money is coming from. Abuja does not have oil wells. We rely on taxes. And we have not increased ground rents yet. But we will,” he said.
Meanwhile, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza was still sealed as of yesterday, 48 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered that it should be unsealed.
A visit to the building by our correspondent Wednesday afternoon showed that no action had been taken to comply with the President’s directive to unseal the property.
The property was among the 4,794 that defaulted in the payment of ground rent, a reason the FCTA authorities moved in on Monday and sealed it.
And following the public outcry the exercise generated, President Tinubu immediately urged the FCTA to unseal.
He, however, approved that a 14-day grace period be given to owners of the property to pay.
