By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Tenants and low income earners in particular, have pleaded with the Niger state government to consider the plight of the poor masses who are struggling to survive the economic hardship in the country in it's new land laws, which they see as aimed more at improving the state's revenue base and not protecting them from shylock landlords and their agents.
The call for protection of the suffering masses is coming on the heels of Niger state government's declaration of the introduction of a new land law which stipulates that; places of worship, old people’s homes, Correctional facilities, Emir’s palaces and residences of senior citizens are exempted from the planned land use charges.
Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Maurice Bello Magaji, had in a statement declared Niger state government's new land order introducing land use charges to enhance effective and efficient land administration.
Maurice, a legal practitioner, said the move aims at consolidating all property and land-based rates in accordance with the State Revenue Harmonisation Law just as charges will be based on assessments of land properties, considering factors like location, purpose, and type'.
"The Niger land use charge aligns with international best practices and the Revenue Harmonisation Law, which seeks to improve the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for better provision of social amenities", the statement further emphasized adding however that certain properties are exempted.
“However, properties belonging to certain groups and individuals, including places of worship, old people’s homes, correctional facilities, Emir’s palaces, and residences of senior citizens, will be exempted from these charges”.
The statement which also indicated that Governor Muhammad Umar Bago already approved upgrading of the state's Geographical Information System (GIS) said the new order will not only bring about more development but ease of identification for residential areas within Minna the state capital in particular.
“The GIS upgrade will enable Niger state government identify areas of interests, particularly agricultural lands, and generate data for planning purposes, including house numbering, and ad well streamline land acquisition processes, improve data accuracy, and facilitate better management of land resources across the state".
Meanwhile, the new order have generated more condemnations than commendations for the Governor Bago led administration as some tenants, jittery about the introduction of the property laws argues that the poor masses are the targets and therefore wants the Governor to consider plights of the masses above anticipated financial benefits.
Mrs. Hannatu Joseph, speaking to journalists on the new order said it is unfortunate that tenants who would be at the receiving end if the state government fails to protect them because their survival would be at the mercy of the landlords and their agents.
Hannatu, widow and a teacher struggling to fend for her family of four said she expects the state government to consider rising economic hardship poor masses are facing above financial benefits the new order will bring to the state government.
Accusing government of being insensitive to the plights of the masses, Hannatu argued tha, "Government is looking at what will be of benefit to them, and not about what will happen to poor tenants if they start to implement it. Shylock landlords and their Agent's collaborators will definitely find a way of compelling tenants to pay whatever tax the state government demands from them".
She therefore pleaded with Governor Bago to consider prevailing difficulties citizens are going through by mandating the relevant ministries to call for a round table discussions with stakeholders, including tenants represented before implementation of the new order.
Many people lost their jobs, just managing to survive and all that the state government think it can do is to come up with this added pain, she lamented, arguing that, "The government is not asking why most landlords increase rents every year without adding value to the houses or carrying out repairs. By introducing this law, landlords will simply force it down the throats of tenants". NNL.
