Your embassy’s title will be revoked in two weeks – FCT minister warns Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, others

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned foreign embassies owing ground rent in Abuja to offset their debt or have their titles revoked.

Wike published the names of embassies on the debtors list, some of which are Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, South Africa and Bulgaria.

In a memo titled Final Notice on Payment of Outstanding Ground Rent in the FCT, a total of $5.36m is being owed and the affected organisations have been given just two weeks to pay up.

The notice read; “All allottees, property owners, as well as beneficiaries of the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT who could not pay or settle their outstanding ground rents for the year 2023, are hereby advised in their interest to ensure payment within two weeks from the date of this publication, failure of which such titles shall be revoked.

“For ease of reference, the names of allottees and corresponding outstanding ground rents are listed below.”

Meanwhile, in other news…

Nyesom Wike recently announced his administration’s decision to stop the operation of tricycle, (Keke Napep) in some areas of the FCT.

He promised that the menace of one-chance crime would soon be over in Abuja, saying there will be no operation of Keke Napep in Asokoro and Maitama. Wike said the FCDA would be rolling out buses and taxes very soon to solve the problem of transportation.

“These buses and taxis will ply all the routes in Asokoro and Maitama. We are kicking out Keke Napep at least in these areas. Some of these Keke Napep are agents of criminals,” he said.

Wike added that “if we have the buses, people will prefer to come from their areas and come to work and go back. It is painful but it’s an inconvenience that we must face”.