The Federal Government has announced its intention to charge owners of completed unoccupied houses triple ground rents instead of the single rate, beginning three months after the completion of the property.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, explained the rationale behind the move during a site visit to various housing projects in Abuja on Friday.
He emphasized the need to encourage property owners to either rent out or sell unoccupied houses to address the housing deficit in the country.
“What is important now is that we want to take stock of all those houses, then we will interface with the owners and find out what they want. If they want to keep the houses unoccupied, the government will start charging them triple ground rent instead of a single ground rent that we charge. That will force them to either put it on rent at whatever amount or they sell them off,” said Dangiwa.
The minister highlighted the role of the Department of Lands, Urban and Regional Planning in taking stock of unoccupied estates, indicating that any estate remaining unoccupied for more than three months would be subject to triple ground rent.
Dangiwa also addressed issues related to project supervision, stating that state controllers would be empowered with the necessary tools to supervise projects effectively.
He noted the importance of utilizing federal lands available in specific locations, emphasizing the need for state controllers to provide information on available lands.
Regarding the assessment of various housing projects, Dangiwa expressed satisfaction with what he had observed and discussed the specific situations and challenges of each location.
NAN reports that the site visits included the Apo-Guzape Housing Project, Prototype Housing Scheme in Suleja, National Housing Project in Gwagwalada, and the Federal Integrated Housing Scheme in Gwagwalada.
The projects showcase a mix of construction models, including direct construction financed by FHA and public-private partnerships, contributing to the government’s efforts to provide affordable housing.
