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Lagos Govt Reacts “Land Use Charge: Amounts in Circulation Outrageous, based on arrears “

Published

6 years ago

March 7, 2018

Editor

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday clarified the figures circulating in the media on the rate for the newly reviewed Land Use Charge Law of 2018, saying many of the numbers were based on several years of arrears on the levy not paid by affected property owners.

Speaking at a news briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan said there were so many misconceptions and misinformation about the new law, adding that the law was a progressive enactment duly made by the House of Assembly and handed over to the Executive for implementation in the overall interest of the people.

He specifically dismissed the humongous figures being bandied about on the social media, saying many of the calculations were based on arrears of many years of non-payment.

“The fact is that this law took a long process to be made. It started as a bill and went through the first reading, second reading, public hearing to which all stakeholders were brought together to debate it and some of the relieves we have seen were part of the debate expressed by the stakeholders about the need to protect the vulnerable segment of the society. Having made the law, the Lagos State House of Assembly has handed it over to the executive to implement.

“The second important part is that a lot of relieves have been built into the law but many people are confusing arrears with the actual figure. If you see those figures, ask whether it is for one year or arrears of several years of non-payment. The humongous figures that are being bandied around particularly in the social media relate to the arrears of many years of non-payment which are computed together,” Bamigbetan said.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade said the government has extended the period for tax payers to enjoy the 15 per cent discount in the reviewed Land Use Charge Law to April 14, 2018 in order to enable the implementation and enforcement of the new law, as well as allow many property owners to benefit from the discount.

Ashade, who took time to clarify reactions in some section of the public on the new law, said under the old law, which had not been reviewed for over 15 years since 2001, the Land Use Charge rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive and was depriving the State of keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in Lagos State.

He said the Law, which was reviewed by the Lagos State House of Assembly and signed into Law by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on February 8, 2018 is a merger of all Property and Land Based Rates and Charges in the State.

Ashade said: “There was an urgent need for the repeal, as the old law had not been reviewed for over 15 years, since 2001. Under the old law, the LUC rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive which deprived the State of keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in Lagos State.

“The new law is a consolidation of Ground Rent, Tenement Rate, and Neighbourhood Improvement Levy. This charge is payable annually in respect of all real estate properties in the State, which means owners and occupiers holding a lease to a Property for ten (10) years or more are now liable to pay the annual LUC invoice charged.

“Thus, the Tenement Rates Law, the Land Based Rates Law, the Neighbourhood Improvement Charge and all other similar Property Rates or Charges, Laws or amendments to any such property Laws shall cease to apply to any property in Lagos State as from 2018. Nonetheless, all pending invoices, orders, rules, regulations, etc. under the 2001 repealed Law shall continue to be in effect until such obligations are discharged.”

Explaining the calculation of amount payable, the Commissioner said that property owners can determine the amount by multiplying the Market Value of their property by the Applicable Relief Rate of 40 per cent and Annual Charge rate.

“Upon receiving a notice or not, the new law has made it possible for owners to calculate their charge, and enable prompt payment, which allows them to benefit from a 15% discount for early payment, applicable to payments made within 15 days of receipt of Demand Notice,” he said.

Responding to fears of tenants that the new Law might force landlords to increase rent, Ashade said aside the fact that the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 was still in force, the incidence of payment for Land Use Charge under the new law is on the Landlord and not the tenant.

He said the minimum rate was only increased from N1,200 it was in 2001 to N5,000, while there is provision for self-assessment and Assessment Appeal Tribunal under the new law.

On vacant properties, Ashade said such would be treated based on owner-occupier and not as a commercial property, explaining that the target of government is to make commercial property owners to pay a little bit more.

Headline

Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

Published

7 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

Headline

Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

Headline

Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

Published

6 days ago

April 12, 2024

Admin

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”