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By Maduka Nweke
The Lagos State Government has mandated that tax clearance will now be an essential document for any housing transactions within the state. This new requirement aims to eliminate fraud in the transfer of home ownership and to protect the interests of allottees, particularly in cases where home ownership documents are lost.
In addressing the prevention of fraudulent activities in real estate, Abdulhafis Toriola, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, advised the public that all applications for the transfer of home ownership must now include evidence of home ownership, search conduct results, and a valid means of identification, especially in instances of lost documents.
Toriola made this announcement during a strategic management meeting held at his Alausa office. He emphasized that applicants for the transfer of ownership must submit a letter of allocation, payment receipts, and a valid means of identification along with their application to the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing. This process is designed to verify the authenticity of ownership claims, a step deemed necessary due to the increasing number of false claims identified by the Ministry.
Furthermore, Toriola stated that homeowners seeking replacement documents for lost ones must provide their National Identification Number (NIN) card, a police report, and a published notice of document loss in a national newspaper along with their application.
He also clarified that all housing transaction applications in the state must include a valid tax clearance certificate of the applicant. This requirement applies to applications for home units, change of ownership, or the replacement of lost home ownership documents, regardless of whether the applicant is in public or civil service.
Toriola highlighted that housing construction and infrastructure development in the state are funded by taxpayers’ money, and as such, beneficiaries of these projects must provide proof of personal income tax. He warned that the Ministry would not process any application lacking the required documents.
The Permanent Secretary encouraged citizens to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the State Government, which is prioritizing the completion of all ongoing housing projects to reduce the housing deficit in both the state and the nation.
