Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has directed existing landowners with Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to re-certificate them.
Speaking on a live television programme monitored by Daily Trust in Abuja, Wike said the new C of O would require a National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).
The minister said since assumption of office, he had refrained from signing C-of-Os because of the need to introduce enhanced security measures.
He said the new C of Os would cost individuals N50,000 and corporate bodies, N100,000 each.
He said, “There are a lot of discrepancies, a lot of cloning of C-of-Os, so we have come up with an idea that every allottee who seeks and applies for a C-of-O must supply his NIN; this is one of the features we are going to put in the new C-of-O.
“If a corporate body doesn’t have an NIN and they have a property, they must put their BVN. So many persons have not registered, and this will make them go and re-register.”
On the existing landlords with C-of-Os, Wike stated that they would only be required to pay a nominal fee for recertification.
“For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a recertification, so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN,” he said.
“Those who had a C-of-O before don’t need to pay money again; the highest they can pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation.”
He also hinted that the cost of obtaining new C of O, which he initially penciled at N5m might be reduced to N3.5 million.
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