By Yinka Kolawole

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) executed and conveyed a total 259 Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) in the past three weeks.

FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this, noted that the C of Os comprised 224 for sales of Federal Government houses and 35 in the FCT. He also declared that the FCT administration received a total of 1,084 land applications between August 16, and September 13, 2010.

Mohammed noted that the breakdown of the figure shows that 825 applications were for residential, 108 for commercial, 30 for institutional, 107 for mixed use, one for open space/green area and three for agricultural purposes.

The minister said that he has ordered the setting up of an FCT Land Use and Allocation Committee to handle all land allocations in the territory. He added that upon inauguration, the committee will ensure equity, transparency and due process in all land allocations in the FCT.

He further stated that the committee to be headed by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Biodun Nathaniel Olorunfemi, will have relevant officials and professional bodies as members. He counselled residents of the territory to make appropriate enquiries from the Land Administration Department of the ministry before embarking on any transaction to curtail the activities of land fraudsters in Abuja.

The FCT minister also announced the establishment of a new division to be headed by a deputy director under the Land Administration Department that will cater for plots in the area councils.