In an effort to reposition land administration, improve service delivery and increase revenue generation, in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola on Wednesday Inaugrated high-powered committee on partnership with financial institutions on land matters.
The committee which was inaugurated is expected to invent ways of increasing the revenue profile of the FCT Administration and also FastTrack processes involved in the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy and other title documents for various individuals in the Federal Capital Territory.
Adesola stated that in view of the dwindling revenue accruable to government as a result of plummeting price in crude oil globally and the increasing demands for social amenities and other infrastructural developments by the citizens, it has becomes imperative for the FCT Administration to think of creative ways of shoring up government revenue to be able to address these challenges.
He hinted that the administration spends fortune annually to keep the city clean but generate only meagre amount, urged residents to begin to pay for services such as sanitation and pipe borne water services the government is rendering to them.
Adesola, however, expressed optimism that the Committee would work assiduously to come up with far reaching recommendations with a view to addressing delay in the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy, other title documents as well as unlock huge revenue stuck in land transactions.
He , therefore, assured residents of the territory that the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello would continue to address all challenges associated with the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy and other title documents in nation’s capital city.
The Permanent Secretary gave the Committee one week to submit its report for the Administration to take immediate action, reeled out the committee terms of reference to include: review the current challenges related to payment of land fees in the FCT; identify sources of financing the payment of land fees by the title holders, develop framework for partnership with financial institutions by title holder and also come up with recommendations on any other matters related to the above.
Meanwhile , the Chairman of the Committee Barrister Harisu Umar commended the Permanent Secretary for the laudable and proactive initiative of thinking outside the box at a time the country is seriously confronted with acute financial challenges.
Umar assured the Permanent Secretary that the committee would work hard to achieve its terms of reference, while thanking the Permanent Secretary for the confidence reposed in them.
Other members of the Committee are: Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary; Mr. Adewinle Pius, Deputy Director; Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Town Planner Adamu Adamu; Financial Adviser, Mr. Ayodele Olayinka; Assistant Director; Department of Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Mr. Yusuf Jafar, Assistant Director; Mr. Kumatin Ikya, Department of Land Administration, Hassan Zakari, Assistant Director and Mr Abubakar Faskari, Technical Assistant to the Permanent Secretary.
