Abuja: The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has called for the immediate enforcement of sanctions against ground rent defaulters in the territory. This directive was issued in Abuja as Wike inaugurated two committees to address land issues at River Park Estate and the abuse of the land use act in the FCT.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the FCT Administration had previously issued a demand notice on June 2, requiring the payment of ground rent due from 2014 to 2024. Defaulters were initially given a two-week period to comply, a deadline that has since extended into several months. Wike emphasized the necessity of taking immediate action, stating that the time for leniency had passed.

Wike highlighted the importance of receiving the owed funds to facilitate infrastructure development in the FCT. He stressed that despite the FCT 2025 budget being approved and signed by President Bola Tinubu, the execution of impactful projects remains contingent on the availability of funds.

The minister urged directors from various departments including Land, Abuja Geographic Information System, Development Control, and Urban and Regional Planning to exert all efforts to ensure the successful collection of the due payments.