Lagos Assembly Set To Review Land Use Charge Law - News about Nigeria ~ 27/01/2018

The Lagos State Residence of Assembly has reviewed the state’s Land Use Charge.

The House, final week, study for the second time a "Bill for A Law To Repeal The Land Use Charge Law 2001 and Enact Land Use Charge 2017 and For Connected Purposes".

The Assembly committed the bill to the Home Ad hoc Committee on Finance, headed by Mr Yinka Ogundimu.

According to the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, the proposed law is all about growing the income generation of the state by bringing far more houses into the net. Obasa mentioned a situation where only a few consultants were operating with the state government on the collection of Land Use Charge was discouraging.

The Speaker, who noted that numerous buildings had however to be captured in the tax net of the state, mentioned there was want for additional consultants.

"We require far more consultants to do the job, so that the entire state can be covered in the collection of Land Use Charge.

"Whatever tribunal that would be set up to deal with offenders must have the assistance of the government.

"On the problem of exemptions, we can not exempt religious organisations because most of the worship centres are creating income.

"We could only exempt non-governmental organisations having said that, let’s leave all in the hand of the committee," he mentioned.

Also, the House Majority Leader, Mr. Sanai Agunbiade, said the bill would repeal the laws on land use charge.