BY SYLVESTER ILOBA
THE Delta State Committee on Ground Rent Task Force has charged defaulters to pay their annual ground rent or face the full wrath of the law.
The Chairman of the Ground Rent Task Force Committee, Mr. Paul Esejor gave this charge when he spoke with newsmen at the end of the Ground Rent Mobile Court hearing by a Chief Magistrate, Doris Mokwenye in Asaba.
The Mobile Court had heard 20 adjourned cases of ground rent defaulters in order to give the defendants fair hearing. He noted that the efforts of the Ground Rent Committee in the area of ensuring payment of ground rent is yielding results.
“The efforts of the Ground Rent Committee in ensuring that ground rent defaulters face the full weight of the law for their deliberate refusal to pay their Statutory tax obligations to the state government is yielding huge results as majority of them have made payments while those who are yet to pay would be arrested and sent to prison in line with the judgement of the Mobile Court, till payments are made.
“In accordance with the relevant laws on Ground Rent, the Committee is mandated to demand for ground rent from owners of properties with or without C of O in the State and all land property owners are being sensitized about their ground rent obligations to the state through the media,” he said.
Esejor further spoke on the levies and taxes that property owners in Delta State are under obligation to pay.
“It will interest you to know that apart from Ground Rent and Infrastructural Development Levy which are paid annually, there are other land charges land developers must pay as the need arises.
“Governor’s Consent Fees (GCF) is payable by those that want to transfer their Rights of Occupancy on any landed property in the State. The Governor’s Consent must be obtained through the Ministry of Lands & Survey, Asaba after payment of the relevant fees at the Bank.
“Others include Planning / Development process fees (Fencing Fees & BQ Fees.) which are fees payable by new developers in the state before the commencement of operations on the said land from the Ministry of Urban Renewal. “Change of Use Fees (where applicable) is where property designated either for industrial, agricultural or residential purposes but converted to another purpose, the state must grant the permission for the Change of Use through the ministries of Lands and Survey and Urban Renewal after payment of relevant fees
On Building Plan Approval fees, he said that “no structural building would be allowed without the Building Plan Approval from the Government through the Ministry of Urban Renewal to avoid the incident of building collapse in any part of the state.”
