The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, claims to have saved N110 billion for the government in just three months, but he also voiced concerns about dishonest workers in the administration.
He revealed this information and voiced his displeasure with the speed at which phoney Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) are being issued through land procedures during a high-level meeting with an estate developer in Abuja.
Wike gave an order to pay N5 million to obtain a C of O during the meeting. He added that he would ask President Bola Tinubu’s approval before adding a National Identity Number (NIN) to any Certificates of Origin that his administration would issue.
Wike underlined that the practise of allocating the same plot of land to three or more individuals with a fictitious C of O will no longer be accepted.
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He revealed how, while serving as governor of Rivers State, he received a forged C of O from certain FCTA personnel. He also took issue with CTA and FCDA employees receiving a monthly salary of N8.9 billion.
Following an intense attempt by the developers to have the Minister lower the N5 million payment needed for the C of O, the Minister consented to allow the payment to be made in four months, following which the Certificate of Origin may be given to the applicant. Wike continued by saying that before connecting any C of O to the NIN number, he would ask the president for approval.
In an effort to end the phoney C of O and advance transparency, Wike urged the developers to support this action, stressing that it is essential to create a city in which everyone can take pride and that he is prepared to battle for it.
The FCT minister stated, “I have saved N110 billion for FCTA since my assumption of office three months ago.
“Allocation of [one] land to three or more persons will no longer be allowed. C of O enables you to do business.
“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will not. We are ready for such a fight.
“When I was governor of Rivers State, 3 C of Os were given by FCT on my land, and we later discovered that the C of Os given to us were fake after we had paid N57 million for the lands.
“I will seek the president’s permission to link any C of O to the NIN number. The rich men will kick against it, but anything that will help our people must be done.
“Support this move. You will attest to the fact that there are changes. How will you feel that, at the end of the day, you have a C of O, but it is fake? Over the past 10 years, some people have not paid, and now the 5 million looks big for them.”
