FCTA Launches Reforms to Ensure Transparency in FG Housing and Land Titling in Abuja
Investigative committees are being established to address anomalies, increase public confidence, and revert to the initial monetization policy.
Following the discovery of numerous irregularities in previous transactions, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has established two committees to examine the land titling of park plots in Abuja and the sale of Federal Government-owned homes in a daring move toward accountability and transparency.
Officials claim that the action is a direct reaction to ministerial orders following the identification of “serious infractions and deviations” from the authorized procedures controlling the sale of government properties in the capital.
The FCTA’s Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, revealed the situation at the two vetting committees’ inauguration event, which took place at his office over the weekend.
He said that in order to address systemic shortcomings and rebuild public trust in land and housing management, the committees were formed with the consent of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The violations found were detailed in a statement signed by the FCTA’s Assistant Director of Information and Customer Service, Badaru Yakassai.
These include egregiously inadequate documentation, poor verification procedures, delayed payments, poor interdepartmental coordination, and departures from the authorized monetization mandate—problems that have weakened efficiency and confidence in Abuja’s real estate transactions.
According to Nwankwoeze, “the committee’s task is to restore order, accountability, and transparency, in line with the original federal government monetization and sales policy framework of 2003–2005.”
The first committee’s specific responsibility is to audit the sale of federal government properties in order to ascertain whether the monetization program, which was implemented during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is being followed. Through a methodical and open procedure, that approach aimed to turn government-owned properties into privately held assets by civil personnel.
Recent research, however, indicates that the procedure was riddled with irregularities, such as purported record tampering, inappropriate distribution, and speculative purchases by people and organizations not initially targeted by the program.
The titling of designated park plots, a controversial topic in the FCT’s continuous urban expansion, would be the second committee’s main concern. To make sure that land titling complies with the FCTA’s present land reform strategy, it will collaborate closely with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Nwankwoeze said, “This is a bold and irreversible step.”
“The administration is totally committed to making sure that such assets are managed in the public interest and to resolving outstanding issues pertaining to the sale of government property and the use of public land.”
He continued by saying that the committees had the full political support of the FCT Minister and were provided with precise terms of reference, deadlines, and institutional support to enable them to successfully execute their mandates.
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The action is deemed opportune by stakeholders in the land administration and real estate industries. Many experts have long advocated for a forensic investigation of the monetization process and a comprehensive overhaul of land titling systems because property ownership in the FCT is frequently entangled in opacity, overlapping claims, and inadequate paperwork.
Restoring systemic transparency, according to analysts, may also draw reliable investments, lower the possibility of corruption in government asset transfers, and unlock substantial economic value in Abuja’s real estate market.
The renewed examination is a component of larger reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which prioritizes economic stability, institutional integrity, and
