Lagos Govt urges property owners to comply with LUC for state devt
…Advocates civic responsibility as compliance rates among elites remain low
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has made an earnest appeal to property owners across the state to fulfil their obligations under the Land Use Charge (LUC) as a means to bolster development initiatives.
This call was made by the Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi, during a recent meeting with the Parkview Residents’ Association in Ikoyi.
Addressing attendees, Oluyomi emphasised the need for the elites, particularly those in affluent areas, to view the timely payment of their LUC as a civic responsibility.
He stated, “So, I am just here to appeal to you; compliance rate is too low for particularly elites. We shouldn’t see that in the midst of elites.”
To incentivise compliance, the Commissioner announced a 15 percent discount for early payments, highlighting that these funds would directly address critical infrastructure challenges discussed at the meeting.
“The payment will enable the government to address all infrastructure challenges raised at the meeting with ease,” he added.
Oluyomi outlined the legal ramifications for those who refuse to pay, indicating that the state government would initially engage in further sensitisation efforts within residential areas before resorting to legal measures.
“Now, what we will do is to go to estates to keep on talking to them, rather than just go to everybody the same day,” he explained.
In a move aimed at improving compliance rates, the government has hired 500 ad-hoc staff to spearhead awareness initiatives, focusing on high-profile areas like Lagos Island, Victoria Island, and Eti-Osa Local Government. The commissioner noted that approximately 200 estates were identified on the axis, with plans to cover the entire region by year-end.
Furthermore, Oluyomi reiterated that the names of stubborn property owners who still refuse to comply would ultimately be published as a last resort.
“We want to make the sensitization for voluntary compliance popular before exploring legal options,” he affirmed.
The state government’s renewed focus comes following a flag-off event for LUC sensitization launched on June 24, 2024, with hopes that greater awareness will lead to increased rates of compliance amongst property owners, particularly in wealthy neighbourhoods.
