FCTA to recover N29 billion ground rent debts from property owners in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has kicked off steps to recover outstanding ground rents of N29 billion owed to the administration by property owners in Abuja.

On Thursday, Mr Olusade Adesola Permanent Secretary, FCT inaugurated a 9-member Committee to coordinate the recovery of the funds.

Mr Adesola said the rate of revenue generation has not met the realities on ground despite all efforts made by the FCTA.

What Mr Adesola is saying

The committee which was inaugurated at the administration’s secretariat is part of efforts made to improve revenue generation accruing into the coffers of the FCT Administration.

• The nine-member Coordinating Committee is chaired by Muhammed Umar, the FCT General Counsel and Secretary of Legal Services Secretariat,
• Mr Adesola noted that to run a government, funding is key as well as delivering quality services to the residents of the territory.
• He said “Funding of FCTA activities was being hampered due to paucity of funds, which was necessary for the running of a modern capital city such as Abuja.
• “The decision to embark on recovery of ground rents has, therefore, become a matter of necessity.
• ”We are serious about this. All those owing should come forward to settle their debts.”

He said in a bid to boost revenue generation in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive, the FCTA had to migrate all revenue collections to Treasury Single Account (TSA), via REMITA Platform.

Adding that ”Despite all these efforts, the rate of revenue generation has not met the realities on ground, hence the need to exploit other frontiers.”