Barely two weeks after Anambra State Government sealed a school and nine buildings in Onitsha over failure to pay land use charges on the properties, the government, at the weekend, sealed 10 more buildings in Awka over the same offence.
The properties consist of eight hotels, one eatery and one school. This brings to 36 the total number of buildings sealed in the state by the Anambra State Property and Land Use Charge (APLUC).
APLUC’s Head of Human Resources and Administration/Media, Chinenye Okafor, told newsmen after the exercise that it was part of government’s resolve to boost the state’s revenue.
According to her, the enforcement was sequel to various Magistrate Court judgments in Awka under the state Land Use Charge Law 2010.
“The consequence of such default is that the owners/occupiers shall have the property sealed and liable for receivership and or to a term of imprisonment of a period of three months or both until all outstanding charges, penalties and administrative charges due are paid,” Okafor said.
The 10 buildings sealed at the weekend owed a total sum of about N2.9 million between 2012 and 2013.
The sealed hotels are Hatfield (former Queen Suite hotel), Century Guest House, De Pride Lodge, Malikwu Suites, Smithland, Swiss Cottage and Nicon Lodge, among others.
Lynette Prime School, located at Agu-Awka, and an eatery, BeJoy Centre Point, located at the popular Arroma junction were also affected.
Okafor said the defaulters were served with writ of summons and hearing notices in 2013, “yet they did not appear in court until we got judgments against them to seal their buildings.
“The state government gave a 75 per cent discount on all buildings to enable people pay up their charges,” she said, insisting that Anambra has the lowest property rate in the country.
She said 520 other suits were pending in various courts across the state and appealed to the people of the state to pay up their bills or risk closure of their buildings.
However, some of the affected entrepreneurs feigned ignorance of the offences against them and pleaded with the government to tamper justice with mercy, as they were locked outside their buildings.