The Federal Capital Territory Administration said only two out of the 445 mass housing allocations met its terms and conditions.

Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Olayinka said that the Mass Housing Programme was initiated in 2000 as a public-private partnership approach to providing affordable housing for FCT residents.

He, however, said that from the inception of the programme till date, out of the 445 mass housing allocations granted, only two developers had successfully met the terms and conditions.

Mr Olayinka stated that a new operational framework for titling of mass housing and sectional interests had been developed to make the exercise efficient, effective and diligent.

This, according to him, is in line with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s vision to restore confidence in the administration of lands in the FCT.

He said, “Currently, the holders and occupiers of properties within the various mass housing estates in the FCT do not pay bills, rents, fees and charges to the government. This is despite having held and occupied properties for decades. To address the problem, the FCT minister had recognised the urgent need to issue titles to the beneficiaries of mass housing and sectional interests. All applications for titling are to be made by the subscribers and developers to the Department of Land Administration for processing.’’

The spokesman said that the processing of titles for mass housing and sectional interests would commence on April 21, in line with the new operational framework.

He explained that the measure was part of the broad and comprehensive reforms on land administration in the FCT, as approved by the minister.

Mr Olayinka said that the reforms, which would become operational from April 21, cover specific areas such as conditions of grant of statutory Right of Occupancy (RofO) and contents of the statutory RofO bill.

Others, he said, would include contents of letter of acceptance/refusal of offer of grant of RofO, titling of mass housing and sectional interests as well as regularisation of area council land documents.

The crux of the sweeping reforms in the FCT land administration, according to him, is to ensure regularisation of land allocation in area councils and the title of mass housing properties in favour of buyers.

He added that land allottees were also expected to develop their allocated land within two years.

On his part, the Director of Land Administration, FCTA Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said that the development would be beneficial to house owners in estates.

Mr Nwankwoeze pointed out that people with mass housing documents cannot use the documents for any business transaction aside from just owning the houses.

He stated, “In the coming months, you will see housing owners in the various estates in FCT holding certificates of occupancy issued by FCTA.’’

(NAN)