Leadership (Abuja)
News Agency of Nigeria
4 June 2008
The move by the Federal Government to stop landlords from taking advance rents from tenants was earlier attempted by Malam Musa Yar'Adua, a former minister of Lagos Affairs, in 1962, records at the National Archives of Nigeria show.
Yar'Adua, father to President Umaru Yar'Adua, had commenced a legislation to the then federal parliament to stop advance rent payment, the record obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday shows.
"It is unlawful for the landlords to charge a tenant a premium in consideration of letting accommodation to him.
"Such premium, if paid by the tenant, may be recovered from the landlord by court action", the bill suggested.
The document states that Yar'Adua had admitted that "to control rents by a simple legislation was by no means as easy as it appears.
"We must bear in mind that Lagos is not the first over-crowded capital to be confronted by the problem of rent control.
"Unhappily, in a large number of the world's capitals, legislation to restrict rent has not always been to the advantage of the tenants," he said.
Mr Michael Aaondakaa, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minster of Justice, in May requested state commissioners of justice to initiate legislation to prohibit landlords from collecting house rents in advance.
Aaondokaa had argued that most Nigerians even in the formal sector did not earn income in advance to make up the payment of rents in the same proportion.
The director, National Archives, Mr. Adedoyin Lafinhan, told NAN that such records were important to give proper perspectives to issues.
"On the rent issue, I think it is appropriate for Nigerians to know the history behind this legislation so that they can be properly educated on the importance of records and their documentary heritage", he said.
Lafinhan said the National Archives was being repositioned to perform its task of serving as information bank for government. (NAN)
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