Following on the heel of the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government, Abuja residents have decried new increases in rent rates in some areas in the FCT.

A check by Daily Trust revealed that tenants in Kubwa, a densely populated satellite town in the FCT, have been daunted with increased rents due to the subsidy removal coupled with the recent opening of the Kubwa – Zuba road.

A self-contained room in Kubwa  that initially cost N100,000–N200,000 per annum (p.a.)  is now N150,000–N250,000; a 2  bedrooms  flat has now gone up from N200,000–N300,000 to N450,000–N500,000; while a 3 bedrooms flat  that used to be rented out for N300,000–N450,000 is now between N500,000 and N700,000.

In Lugbe, another satellite town in the FCT, a single self-contained room is now being rented out at the rate of N250,000–N300,000, up from the former cost of N200,000–N250,000.

A  one bedroom flat that used to cost N300,000 in the area,  is now being let for about N400,000 while a two bedrooms apartment that hitherto was let for N500,000–N600,000 has risen to N700,00.

Lugbe and Kubwa seem to be the major areas where the high increment is presently quite noticeable.

The situation,  according to a resident, Salihu  Omotayo, might not be unconnected to the opening of Lugbe–Airport  and Kubwa–Zuba  roads which  have led to increase in the demand for houses in both  satellite towns of the FCT.

Further checks indicate that some increases have taken effect in Jikwoyi where a self-contained room ranges from N100,000–N120,000 p.a.; I bedroom flat N180,000–N200,000; and a 2-bedroom N300,000 – N350,000.

Also in Nyanya, a self-contained room is let for between N120,000–N140,000; one bedroom N220,000–N300,000; and 2-bedrooms N400,000-N500,000 depending on the area the building is located.

In Dutse, the rent for a self-contained room ranges from N120,000–N150,000; 1 bedroom flat, N200,000–N250,000; and 2 bedrooms N300,000–N400,000 depending on location and how new the building is.

In Marraba, a self-contained room costs N80,000–N100,000; a bedroom flat N120,000–N150,000; and 2 bedrooms N150,000–N200,000 respectively.

In  Jabi,  Life Camp  area,  which is within the city centre, a  self-contained room goes for N400,000–N450,000;   one bedroom, N600,000; 2 bedrooms, N800,000–N1 million; while 3 bedrooms cost between N1.3–N1.5 million.

At Gwarimpa, also within the city centre, a single room is let for N350,00–N380,000 while N2.5 million is required down payment to rent a 2-bedroom flat with a duplex renting for N800,000 per annum.

Some of the residents interviewed called on government to put in place policies to regulate the constant increase in  house rent in the FCT, being the seat of government.

Sikiru  Adediran,  a resident of Jabi  said that the burden of paying rent in the FCT is too big for average salary  earners in the FCT.

He therefore called for proper legislation to check the unnecessary increment of rents by “shylock landlords” in the FCT.

“I am not happy the way rent is being jerked up anyhow by landlords in the FCT.  What surprises most is that whenever government provides social amenities like roads, electricity or even potable water, the next thing is for them to increase rent in the area where such are provided.

“Government needs to come in and let them know that the amenities provided are not for them (landlords) but the people. I think it is high time this is tackled by the relevant authorities in government, “he appealed.

Also speaking on the issue, Florence Roland, a resident of Jikwoyi appealed to both FCT and the Federal Government to concentrate more on low–income houses in the FCT to reduce the cost of house rents.

“Most of the houses they (government) have been building are too costly for the average residents to afford.  “They should build more low-income houses. If they continue to demolish structures built by those that cannot  rent such buildings they are doing more harm than good to the citizens of this country,” Florence said.

In related  issue, the Director, Department of Development Control of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) TPL Yahaya Yusuf in a radio programme monitored by Daily Trust yesterday, noted that the satellite town has the highest number of illegal structures in the entire FCT because members of the public “see that it is a little difficult to get plots in city centres and that they won’t be able to withstand the approval process so they see such settlements as easy access to having a structure.”

The director disclosed that the department is collaborating with the Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) to monitor activities of lands around Abuja and see what is happening on the sites.

He lamented that residents are not only trying to put structures on illegal lands as it was also observed that people are also putting illegal structures on the entire layout of Abuja that are not even known in the archives of the FCT administration.

Source:  Daily Trust