Enugu Landlords Appeal To Gov. Mbah For Concession On Property Levy

An Association of Landlords in Ihe Street and its environs, also known as Ngene Mgbada Layout, in ‘One Day Area in Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to grant them concession or fee reduction in property levy in their area.

Presenting the ‘Save Our Soul’ (SOS) letter on Tuesday to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Enugu State Geographic Information System Service (ENGIS) for onward transmission to the Governor, the group appealed for leniency in government-approved fee for property registration, issuance of Allocation Paper and Certificate of Occupancy(CofO) as applicable to the area.

The 2-page letter dated June 2, 2025 signed by Chairman of the Association, Chief Edwin Ugo and Secretary, Sir Innocent Asuquo, and made available to newsmen in Enugu, stated that Ihe Street and its environs remained a low-profile business zone of Enugu city.

Parts of the statement read:

“We, the undersigned on behalf of the Ihe Street and Environs Landlords Association, Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area, humbly and respectfully write this passionate appeal to Your Excellency, through the esteemed office of the MD/CEO of Enugu State Geographic Information System Service (ENGIS), to kindly reconsider and show leniency in the government-approved fee for property registration and issuance of Certificate of Allocation applicable to our area.

“Our association comprises all real estate property owners within Ihe Street and the adjoining environs in “One Day Area” known as (Ngene Mgbada Layout), located off Agbani Road in Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area.
It is with deep appreciation of the government’s visionary drive to formalize and secure land ownership across the state that we come before Your Excellency in sincere appeal.

“While we are fully aligned with the noble objective of this exercise-which we believe is in our best interest and a step toward regularizing and protecting land ownership rights we are however constrained by the current economic realities facing our community.

“The “One Day Area”, particularly the Ihe Street and its surrounding environ (Ngene Mgbada), remains a low-profile zone of the city. The economic and industrial development of the area has been slow, with very minimal commercial activities to support rapid appreciation in the value of property. As such, most of the landlords in our area are of modest means-retirees, low-income eanners, and families who invested their life’s savings into acquiring a modest plot for shelter or future security.

“It is also important to state that many of our members have already paid the initial N100,000 verification fee per plot at the ENGIS office. However, the subsequent demand for full registration and certificate processing fees has posed a heavy financial burden, which many of our members are presently unable to meet.

“We therefore most humbly appeal to Your Excellency, as a listening and compassionate leader of the people, to kindly consider granting a concession or fee reduction to the property owners in our area. Such a gesture would go a long way to enable full compliance with the state’s laudable property registration programme and will further endear the government to the grassroots citizens who see you as a father figure and a builder of inclusive prosperity.

“We are hopeful that this humble plea from the heart of your people will receive your kind and urgent consideration.

“Please accept the assurances of our highest regard and continual support for your transformational leadership in Enugu State.

Receiving the letter on-behalf of his Managing Director, Mr Chinwetalu Nwatu, the Town Planning Officer in the agency, Philip Arum, explained to the visitors that the property levy was a state government policy which was done out of magnanimity of Governor Peter Mbah as his initial move was to demolish the area.

He, however, promised to take the appeal letter to the governor as requested, adding that Governor Mbah has listening ears, hence he did not go on with the initial demolition plan

“The on-going verification exercise is to know the original property owners, make them pay 30% and obtain other requirements to enable them get Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) for modernisation of the area, he said.

Recall that a letter, dated 15, April 2025, captioned “Notice to partner with private Association, Communities and Estate layout owners in the new government policies on Infrastructural Development,” signed by ENGIS Managing Director, Nwatu directed the landowners to pay the sum of five million naira for every 500 square meters as infrastructure levy and N4000 for 1 square meter for C of O, amounting to N2,000,000.00 for a 500-square meter plot of land.