The FCT mass hous­ing policy and chal­lenges (II)

By: TPL. UMAR SHUAIBU FNITP

Pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture is a major require­ment for adequate hous­ing. It is well known that one of the major pre­vail­ing pre­dic­a­ments in the FCT Admin­is­tra­tion is the absence of funds for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture to the many planned dis­tricts in the city, in which land alloc­a­tions were fully made. Presently, only primary infra­struc­tures are provided in some of the dis­tricts, without the sec­ond­ary. In many oth­ers, none at all. Ideally, this con­tra­dicts stand­ard prac­tice.

Pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture is a major require­ment for adequate hous­ing. It is well known that one of the major pre­vail­ing pre­dic­a­ments in the FCT Admin­is­tra­tion is the absence of funds for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture to the many planned dis­tricts in the city, in which land alloc­a­tions were fully made. Presently, only primary infra­struc­tures are provided in some of the dis­tricts, without the sec­ond­ary. In many oth­ers, none at all. Ideally, this con­tra­dicts stand­ard prac­tice.

Thus to intro­duce a new policy that would lead to massive hous­ing devel­op­ment without any arrange­ment for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture would be akin to provid­ing tea without sugar. Accord­ingly, the author­it­ies would provide the primary infra­struc­ture that leads to the indi­vidual mass hous­ing estates, while the developers would provide the sec­ond­ary infra­struc­ture which includes the net­works of roads, elec­tri­city, water and oth­ers to serve the vari­ous hous­ing units in their hous­ing estates. That was made part of the con­di­tion for the alloc­a­tion.

Thus to intro­duce a new policy that would lead to massive hous­ing devel­op­ment without any arrange­ment for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture would be akin to provid­ing tea without sugar. Accord­ingly, the author­it­ies would provide the primary infra­struc­ture that leads to the indi­vidual mass hous­ing estates, while the developers would provide the sec­ond­ary infra­struc­ture which includes the net­works of roads, elec­tri­city, water and oth­ers to serve the vari­ous hous­ing units in their hous­ing estates. That was made part of the con­di­tion for the alloc­a­tion.

Also, it is illegal for any mass hous­ing developer to engage in the prac­tice of selling the land. What is required is for the selling of the built houses as a product of the alloc­a­tion. Unfor­tu­nately, some unscru­pu­lous developers, who applied and secured the mass hous­ing alloc­a­tions, and with the full know­ledge of their inca­pa­city to meet up with the con­di­tions, would illeg­ally par­cel the big land into smal­ler plots, even without the pro­vi­sion of the infra­struc­ture and com­mence selling to indi­vidu­als.

Also, it is illegal for any mass hous­ing developer to engage in the prac­tice of selling the land. What is required is for the selling of the built houses as a product of the alloc­a­tion. Unfor­tu­nately, some unscru­pu­lous developers, who applied and secured the mass hous­ing alloc­a­tions, and with the full know­ledge of their inca­pa­city to meet up with the con­di­tions, would illeg­ally par­cel the big land into smal­ler plots, even without the pro­vi­sion of the infra­struc­ture and com­mence selling to indi­vidu­als.

There are oth­ers that would secure the alloc­a­tions and later com­mence the pro­cess of con­ver­sion to obtain the Right of Occu­pancy. They were fully aware abin­itio, that such con­ver­sion would not be allowed.

There are oth­ers that would secure the alloc­a­tions and later com­mence the pro­cess of con­ver­sion to obtain the Right of Occu­pancy. They were fully aware abin­itio, that such con­ver­sion would not be allowed.

The actu­al­isa­tion of the issu­ance of the Cer­ti­fic­ates of Occu­pancy to the end users is sub­ject to com­pli­ance with the neces­sary pro­ced­ures by the developers. These include the evid­ence of obtain­ing build­ing plan approval from the author­ity prior to the com­mence­ment of the project and ensur­ing the imple­ment­a­tion without any viol­a­tion.

All off-takers or sub­scribers to mass hous­ing units must ensure that this con­di­tion is met by the developer before they start depos­it­ing their hard-earned funds. This inform­a­tion becomes very neces­sary, because many informal vendors are now parad­ing hous­ing products for sale along the traffic, on many major junc­tions around the city.

All off-takers or sub­scribers to mass hous­ing units must ensure that this con­di­tion is met by the developer before they start depos­it­ing their hard-earned funds. This inform­a­tion becomes very neces­sary, because many informal vendors are now parad­ing hous­ing products for sale along the traffic, on many major junc­tions around the city.

Cer­tainly, many developers would have obtained the neces­sary approvals before the project com­mence­ment, but most of the mass hous­ing sub­scribers are not aware that the developer’s respons­ib­il­ity does not end with the hand­ing over their houses at the end of the con­struc­tion. The developer would sub­sequently sub­mit the list of the indi­vidual house own­ers to the author­ity for the issu­ance of Cer­ti­fic­ate of Occu­pancy to them. It is the right of the house own­ers to ensure that the developer makes the sub­mis­sion of the list to the author­ity for the com­mence­ment of the pro­cess.

Cer­tainly, many developers would have obtained the neces­sary approvals before the project com­mence­ment, but most of the mass hous­ing sub­scribers are not aware that the developer’s respons­ib­il­ity does not end with the hand­ing over their houses at the end of the con­struc­tion. The developer would sub­sequently sub­mit the list of the indi­vidual house own­ers to the author­ity for the issu­ance of Cer­ti­fic­ate of Occu­pancy to them. It is the right of the house own­ers to ensure that the developer makes the sub­mis­sion of the list to the author­ity for the com­mence­ment of the pro­cess.

As earlier stated, the trans­ac­tion for buy­ing a mass hous­ing plot, not the built house is illegal. But, if made any­how, the cost should be much less than that of a stat­utory alloc­a­tion. This is for the bene­fit of genu­ine developers, who would like to buy from some char­ac­ters that applied and got the alloc­a­tions for spec­u­la­tion, des­pite the illeg­al­ity.

As earlier stated, the trans­ac­tion for buy­ing a mass hous­ing plot, not the built house is illegal. But, if made any­how, the cost should be much less than that of a stat­utory alloc­a­tion. This is for the bene­fit of genu­ine developers, who would like to buy from some char­ac­ters that applied and got the alloc­a­tions for spec­u­la­tion, des­pite the illeg­al­ity.

In the absence of the desir­able, the avail­able becomes desir­able. The genu­ine developers should be guided against any deceit that would extort heavy amount from them, instead of much less.

Some­time in March 2012, we brought up instances of viol­a­tions of many land uses, such as Dis­trict Parks, Mar­kets and Sec­ond­ary Schools that were wrongly alloc­ated for mass hous­ing devel­op­ments. Also, instances abound, where the developers sub­divided the mass hous­ing alloc­a­tions, and sold to sub­scribers to build the houses them­selves. Yet, the developer would con­tinue to claim own­er­ship of the estate, with fur­ther impos­i­tion of pur­por­ted levies for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture and the estate man­age­ment.

Some­time in March 2012, we brought up instances of viol­a­tions of many land uses, such as Dis­trict Parks, Mar­kets and Sec­ond­ary Schools that were wrongly alloc­ated for mass hous­ing devel­op­ments. Also, instances abound, where the developers sub­divided the mass hous­ing alloc­a­tions, and sold to sub­scribers to build the houses them­selves. Yet, the developer would con­tinue to claim own­er­ship of the estate, with fur­ther impos­i­tion of pur­por­ted levies for the pro­vi­sion of infra­struc­ture and the estate man­age­ment.

Threats of revoc­a­tion would be made to the sub­scribers upon refusal to com­ply with such illegal impos­i­tions. Due to the des­per­a­tion in own­ing houses, the glut­ton­ous developer would sur­repti­tiously sell the sub­divided land to another anxious sub­scriber. Thus, double or triple interest would be mali­ciously cre­ated on a single piece of land. It is import­ant to know that there are aven­ues for lay­ing com­plaints, and neces­sary sanc­tions would be imposed by the Met­ro­pol­itan Man­age­ment Coun­cil against the developers that have the habit of extort­ing money from their sub­scribers or off-takers.

Threats of revoc­a­tion would be made to the sub­scribers upon refusal to com­ply with such illegal impos­i­tions. Due to the des­per­a­tion in own­ing houses, the glut­ton­ous developer would sur­repti­tiously sell the sub­divided land to another anxious sub­scriber. Thus, double or triple interest would be mali­ciously cre­ated on a single piece of land. It is import­ant to know that there are aven­ues for lay­ing com­plaints, and neces­sary sanc­tions would be imposed by the Met­ro­pol­itan Man­age­ment Coun­cil against the developers that have the habit of extort­ing money from their sub­scribers or off-takers.

As with any type of land alloc­a­tion any­where, con­di­tions are attached for the alloc­a­tion, for the pur­poses of attain­ment of the desired object­ives. In order to be back on track what is required is strict com­pli­ance with the mass hous­ing policy as con­tained in the FCT Mass Hous­ing Devel­op­ment Guidelines.

Also, there should be com­pli­ance with the Abuja City Land Use, dens­ity of plots with their required fam­ily sizes and build­ing design require­ments as stip­u­lated in the devel­op­ment con­trol manual, which clearly spells out the actual rules and reg­u­la­tions of plot devel­op­ment.

In the absence of the desir­able, the avail­able becomes desir­able. The genu­ine developers should be guided against any deceit that would extort heavy amount from them, instead of much less