(I learned this solution from McKinsey and I thought it was genius.)
We have a huge hotel at Zuma Rock that’s tied up in litigation. This building has been left unused for more than a decade. This is a tragedy for a state that badly needs development, but it’s not the only one.
In 2015, as the chief press secretary, I went with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello many times to Gurara Waterfall.
We could see that the Governor was keen to develop that place into a money spinner for the state, but we realized that the hands of the state were tied due to the actions of the previous government.
It was said (although I couldn’t confirm) that the place was allocated to an Igbo man who lived in another country, yet the place was left largely undeveloped, even though we could generate electricity from it and use it as a tourist destination.
We have many such assets all over the state, from business ventures to residential buildings.
What to do?
As I said, I learned this from the most popular consulting company in the world and I’ve shared it with our Ministry of Lands before.
It’s simple, really.
Tax unused property.
Let the law define what is “use” and enact a graduated payment for different categories of properties.
People will put abandoned places to use, thereby energizing our economy. For those who default, the taxes can pile up to the extent that the government may take the Zuma Hotel for free.
#LeadershipNotesforGovernorElect 10/30
