Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa yesterday gave lawyers two weeks to submit memoranda on the controversial Land Use Charge Law.
It was at a public hearing conducted by the House of Assembly at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly Complex, Alausa.
The revised law had been reviewed downward by the state government.
Reactions have trailed the law prompting the government to call for a public hearing.
A six-man committee was set up to look into the repealed law to identify the grey arrears.
Impressed by the turnout of stakeholders Obasa said it was the first time the House would witness such attendance in any bill passing process.
He said: “It has been predicted that the Lagos State population will increase over the next years and so the state needs to look inward for means of revenue generation as we cannot solely rely on federal allocation.”
He also noted that the contribution made will pave way for future generation.
Stakeholders came with their observations and recommendations, which led to a robust argument on the Land Use Charge Law 2018.
Okpabio, who represented the Organised Private Sector (OPS), recommended that assessment of properties for valuation should be carried out by professional bodies, and the process should be sustaned for about three to five years.
This, he said, will give room for an accurate valuation. He further advised that empty properties should be exempted from taxation.
Besides, he said that pensioners, as represented in the law, should not be limited to Lagos State pensioners alone.
He express support for the government proposition on the reduction of rates as stated earlier by the Commissioner for Finance, Akinyemi Ashade.
Chukwuka Ikwuazom, Chairman Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos branch, thanked the House for giving them room to air their views.
He also appealed for more time to enable his branch study the amended law.
Olurogba Orinmalade, Chairman of the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) commended the adoption of market value as the basis for determining property assessment.
Godwin Alenka, Chairman, Estate Agent Commission Association, Lagos branch, advised the government to engage estate agents in remittance of tax, as they are the ones closer to property owners.
Abiola Sanni, a property owner and a professor of law of taxation added that valuation process should be made robust and inclusive.
Some claimed that the notice for the hearing was ‘’too short’’ and asked for a two-week postponement to enable them ‘’prepare well’’ for it.
NBA Ikeja Chairman Adesina Ogunlana raised a point of order.
Ogunlana said the stakeholders got the notice of the hearing late and could not get a copy of the law to be amended; hence, they were asking for a two-week adjournment.
Ogunlana said: “Yesterday (Monday), we received a letter inviting us today for this programme as well as a copy of the amendment at our secretariat of the NBA, Ikeja Branch.
“What we did was to write a letter to the Honourable Speaker informing him of the necessity for an adjournment of this public hearing. It is gratifying to note that the Speaker and other honourable members of the House are interested in our views and the views of others and that we should not come to a compromise.
“What we did was to first go back to the cabinet office to look for the law being sought to be amended, that law is not even with the government.
“Even in this House, I have made enquiries, and we cannot even get a copy of the law. The truth of the matter is that the amendment sought, and a copy of the law must be given to the stakeholders, if we are going to have meaningful contributions.
“The huge task of evaluating the legality and the general operational dynamics of this law vis-a-vis the amendment is clearly an assignment beyond the space of 24 hours or a similar period of time. Our humble request is this, if we may be permitted to counsel, we request the adjournment of this public hearing in no less than two weeks’’.
Ogunlana said it would be counter-productive, if the exercise went on, adding: “what is what doing at all is what doing well.’’
According to him, there is no way the stakeholders will have meaningful contributions if they do not have copies of the law and enough time to study it.
He said the groups would return to the streets tomorrow to protest against the law.
JAF Lagos Secretary Abiodun Aremu said the group would mobilise residents against the law.
“We are not pleased with the processes. The will of the people prevails at all times. The JAF has a record of defending the poor in Lagos State. We are not satisfied; they should meet us on the streets because the people will not pay this. We are going to mount a campaign that people will not pay. Every bad law must be rejected by the people. You can make a law and once they are not acceptable to the people, they won’t obey. This money is not payable, it is not acceptable and we must resist it,” he said.
Lagos State CDHR Secretary Joseph Onaguwa said: “This House has disrespected the people by declining to add two weeks for us to have a copy of what they want us to discuss’’.
Lagos State Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) Chairman Fitzgerald Umah, urged the government to repeal the law and return to the status quo because of the hardship the people were the facing.
He said increasing the tax without a corresponding increase in workers’ salaries would increase the masses’ burden.
The Association of Real Estate Developers of Lagos State said the masses would bear the burden if the law was allowed to stay.
Its General Secretary, Mutairu Olumegbon, asked the government to clarify whether the charge was on the land or the property.
“The charge is highly exorbitant to the level that it will go back to the poor masses, because it is from what we collect from people that we will pay the government,” he said.
A representative of Lekki Residents Association, Mr Olorogun Emadoye, said the law was arbitrary.
According to a stakeholder, Mr Richard Olaoye, the law did not take the constitution into consideration. The local governments, he said, should be in charge of LUC before it gets to the state government.
Another stakeholder, Mr. Babatunde Emmanuel, wondered why his land use charge moved from less than N2,000 last year to N220,00 this year.
Obasa, who reiterated that the Law making process is a continuous one, commended all stakeholders who came forward with their contributions. He assured that the House will look into all concerns and memorandum submitted by professional bodies across the state. He also advised that bodies who are yet to submit their memorandum can do so in the next two weeks.
