Lagos sensitises on property tax

  Lagos sensitises on property tax

State Government has begun its sensitisation on use charge matters for property owners.

Speaking  at Alausa, Ikeja, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Hundogan Temitope, said the exercise affected property owners  in Lagos Island, Lagos Island East, Eti-Osa, Ikoyi, Obalende, Iru Victoria Island and Eti-Osa East Local Government/Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

He said there is a need to improve the internally generated revenue to meet the huge infrastructural needs in the state.

“The Land Use Charge taxe is an integral source of internally generated revenue for the state government which is used for the provision of socio-economic infrastructure and amenities,” he added.

Citing the recent Blue Rail-Line Transport System which has been launched for public Transportation, the Permanent Secretary emphasized that the development of any society is anchored on the adherence of its residents to the payment of their taxes.

Gundogan however frowned at the untoward behavior of some property owners who deny officials access to their properties and appealed to them to kindly cooperate with the State Government by allowing officials designated to distribute bills to do their jobs without any attack.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development Mrs. Kikelomo Bolarinwa emphasized that the sensitization is to enable the government to find a better way of compliance on the payment of Land Use Charge bills.

She added that the payment is for the infrastructural development of the State.

During the overview of the Land Use Charge Law of year 2020, the Director Legal, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Oni Veronica Emily stated that the Law was signed by the Governor . Babajide  Olusola  Sanwo-Olu on May 25, 2020 . According to her, the law  gives the government the authority / right to collect Land Use Charge from residents.

According to her, “the persons liable to pay land use charge includes land/property owners, an occupier with a lease of at least ten (10) years or any person for the time being receiving proceeds on the property on own account or as agent or trustee for any other person”.

The Registrar of Land Use Charge Assessment Tribunal, Mrs. Oyegunle Olayinka stated that, the creation of the Tribunal was set up by the Lagos State Government as an avenue for aggrieved persons to ventilate their grievances, in respect of Land Use Charge assessments and other related matters, with a view to resolve the disputes and encourage compliance with the law on the payment of land use charge.

She encouraged property owners to take advantage of the various platforms available for land use charge dispute resolution and enjoy all the benefits attached, in order to avert all the attendant consequences of non-compliance.

The event was well attended by stakeholders which includes, the Consul General, Benin Republic, Pierre-Plaisir Akowanou, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ishaq Yusuf Adebayo, Chairmen of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas, Representatives of Lagos State Obas, Community Development Associations, Real Estate Licensed Practitioners of Nigeria, Estate Rent Commission Agent Association of Nigeria, Association of Real Estate Developers of Lagos State, among others.