Breaking: Ambode to return controversial Land Use Charge law to LAHA for review
Lagos State Government, today, Thursday, March 15, 2018, announced the plan to return the recently amended 2018 Land Use Charge Edit back to the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) for review.
It would be recalled that since the signing into law of the amended Edit, several Lagosians and mainly leading pressure groups have voiced rejection of the valuation aspect of the Edit, saying it is far away from current realities and global best practices.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch had carried out protest march and even property owners had vowed to resist the implementation, arguing that it is not workable as it will further jerk up rents payable on residential houses at a time the economy is not salutary.
Also, officials of the Manufacturers Association of Nigerian (MAN), Lagos Branch expressed opposition to the Edit.
Announcing the plan to return the law back to the House of Assembly, the State Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, said “Government considered several outcries trailing the amendment and as a listening government, decided to send it back for review by the state lawmakers as soon as possible.
He said “Considering several civic engagements as a government that is committed to the welfare of its citizens, and in understanding of the importance of continuously engaging with the populace, we have undertaken extensive dialogue with various stakeholders, on the Land Use Charge (LUC) |Revised Law of the State and its implementation.”
“Consequently, we received a wide range of responses, in our dialogue with various stakeholders on the amended Land Use Charge law 2018.
“These various interactions formed the subject of extensive deliberations at the meeting of the Lagos State Executive Council on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
Continuing, the Commissioner averred that “it is the desire of the government to empower every property owner with self assessment provision of the law,” and added that “Therefore, we shall forward to the Lagos State House of Assembly, for review and passage of the following regulations; (a), The regulation of applicable rate and regime of relief on categories of property pursuant to the LUC law; (b), The regulation for framework for self assessment,” and others.
The meaning of the latest development, according to analysts is that the amended Edit stands stepped down for former one, pending when another amendment will be completed by the House and signed into law by the governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
