Settle ground rent or risk losing properties – Wike warns Abuja landowners

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has issued a warning to landowners in Abuja to clear all outstanding ground rent payments to avoid forfeiture of their properties.

Wike made this appeal during the launch of upgrades to War College/Army Checkpoint Road and nearby roads in the Ushafa area of Bwari Area Council on Monday.

Emphasizing the importance of ground rent payments, Wike referred to it as the “FCT’s oil,” underscoring how these funds are essential for the FCT Administration to support infrastructure development across the capital.

His words, “I have published the names of debtors in today’s newspapers.

“Some of you seated here are debtors; pay your ground rent. That is what I used to construct all the roads in FCT.

“Some of you have been saying, when you go to Abuja you miss your road, you miss your road, is it by mouth? It is ground rent money that we are using to construct the roads.”

Wike urged residents to contribute by paying their ground rent, noting that taxpayers have the right to demand accountability for how their taxes are used.

“So please, I urge you, let us do our own part.

“When you do your own part, and the government does not do its own part, then you can ask questions – what are you doing with all the taxes that we are paying?

“We will tell you what we have done, and what we will continue to do with your money.

“When you pay a tax, you have the right to ask questions. What do you do with my money? Nobody will proscribe you for doing that,” the minister said.