UPDATED: Land Use Charge hearing holds amid protests

The public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Lagos State
2018 Land Use Charge Law held Tuesday at the Lagos State House of
Assembly amid protest by some persons.

The Land Use Charge legislation has been a subject of
controversies in recent weeks following the government’s decision
to jerk up the rate.

The uproar began when the government started distributing demand
notices in line with the 2018 version of the charge, prompting
protests and outrage on social media.

In response to the uproar generated, the Lagos State Government
proposed a number of drastic amendments to the law including tariff
cuts across board, with additional resolution to consider the
amendments at the parliament.

On Tuesday, members of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigeria Bar
Association (NBA) however, demanded that the hearing be
postponed.

The Chairman of the branch, Adesina Ogunlana, argued that
because copies of the law and the proposed amendments had not been
made available to the public prior to the hearing, the hearing
should be postponed to enable stakeholders look at the documents
and make meaningful contributions.

But the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa,
disagreed with Mr Ogunlana, noting that the issues were not new,
having been in the public domain for several weeks. He also argued
that of the 37 sections of the Land Use Charge Law, only 8 were
actually billed for amendment.

Members of the Ikeja branch of the NBA, supported by activists
and other civil society organisations, consequently staged a
walk-out of the venue and protested the speaker’s decision outside
of the venue.

Meanwhile, a number of other participants at the hearing also
complained of lack of access to the document, which they said would
not make the engagement meaningful.

Speaking at the hearing, the state Commissioner of Finance,
Akinyemi Ashade, said that the state had proposed a general relief
rate of 50 per cent, up from the 40 per cent of old. He added that
other reliefs included the charge rate for commercial properties
which had been reduced to 0.45 per cent (from 0.76 per cent) while
industrial charge rate had also been reduced to 0.230 per cent.

Some estate surveyors who spoke at the hearing suggested that
discounted market value of property be used in the valuation as the
replacement of the phrase “market value” of property, with just
“value” would cause confusion.

Many participants who came with printed copies of their bills
lamented the astronomical increase in the new amendment, calling on
the government to take a second look at it.

Mr Obasa sought additional memoranda from particpants, adding
that members of the public were encouraged to submit memoranda to
the committee for consideration over the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, civil society organisations and lawyers from the NBA
Ikeja branch who staged a walk-out said they will challenge the
government and protest the Tuesday “charade.”

The public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Lagos State
2018 Land Use Charge Law held Tuesday at the Lagos State House of
Assembly amid protest by some persons.

The Land Use Charge legislation has been a subject of
controversies in recent weeks following the government’s decision
to jerk up the rate.

The uproar began when the government started distributing demand
notices in line with the 2018 version of the charge, prompting
protests and outrage on social media.

In response to the uproar generated, the Lagos State Government
proposed a number of drastic amendments to the law including tariff
cuts across board, with additional resolution to consider the
amendments at the parliament.

On Tuesday, members of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigeria Bar
Association (NBA) however, demanded that the hearing be
postponed.

The Chairman of the branch, Adesina Ogunlana, argued that
because copies of the law and the proposed amendments had not been
made available to the public prior to the hearing, the hearing
should be postponed to enable stakeholders look at the documents
and make meaningful contributions.

But the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa,
disagreed with Mr Ogunlana, noting that the issues were not new,
having been in the public domain for several weeks. He also argued
that of the 37 sections of the Land Use Charge Law, only 8 were
actually billed for amendment.

Members of the Ikeja branch of the NBA, supported by activists
and other civil society organisations, consequently staged a
walk-out of the venue and protested the speaker’s decision outside
of the venue.

Meanwhile, a number of other participants at the hearing also
complained of lack of access to the document, which they said would
not make the engagement meaningful.

Speaking at the hearing, the state Commissioner of Finance,
Akinyemi Ashade, said that the state had proposed a general relief
rate of 50 per cent, up from the 40 per cent of old. He added that
other reliefs included the charge rate for commercial properties
which had been reduced to 0.45 per cent (from 0.76 per cent) while
industrial charge rate had also been reduced to 0.230 per cent.

Some estate surveyors who spoke at the hearing suggested that
discounted market value of property be used in the valuation as the
replacement of the phrase “market value” of property, with just
“value” would cause confusion.

Many participants who came with printed copies of their bills
lamented the astronomical increase in the new amendment, calling on
the government to take a second look at it.

Mr Obasa sought additional memoranda from particpants, adding
that members of the public were encouraged to submit memoranda to
the committee for consideration over the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, civil society organisations and lawyers from the NBA
Ikeja branch who staged a walk-out said they will challenge the
government and protest the Tuesday “charade.”