The Nigeria Railway Property Management Company Limited, (RPMCL), Kaduna has disclosed that it will soon commence renovations of their facilities within the Kaduna railway line.
This is even as the management expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the properties, stressing the need to put them in good shape for good use by their occupants and to also get value for their money.
The task force set up by the firm also sealed up ten rented facilities in Kaduna south during routine compliance exercise on Thursday.
Addressing newsmen, the Managing Director, RPMCL, Mr. Timothy Zalanga lamented the non-compliance of the occupants with laid down rules and regulations and vowed to recover all debts being owed on all rented facilities.
He explained that despite all their initial efforts for the occupants to do their businesses without any form of harassment, they were despised because people thought that they cannot sustain the exercise.
Meanwhile, he reiterated that government also has the responsibility to ensure that people who conduct businesses in their premises pay their legitimate rent, while urging them to see government as their partners in progress.
“Some few weeks back, we sent some people and you have seen all notices that we placed there, but surprisingly they did not take that seriously. So we decided that myself and my team will follow up with the task force to come and enforce that compliance with our laid down rules, particularly rent payment and collection.
“Aside the issue of the rent, we also want to come out with a plan to renovate the area so that both the users and us will have a better use of the place, and we are not intending to chase anybody away but we intended to make a better use of the environment for them to operate their business. So, very soon, we will come up with the design plan of what they can afford and what will beautify the place for mutual relationship between us and them.
“There have been the contention on reconciliation issue and that is why we are redirecting them to the head office. They will come with evidence of their receipt of payment and we will see what they are going to pay and we reconcile.
“We want them to do their legitimate businesses and we will encourage them to do their legitimate businesses but government also has the responsibility to ensure that people who conduct businesses in their premises pay their legitimate rent so let them see government as partners in progress.
“We are not pursuing or pushing anybody out of business but we are calling on them to do the right thing. It is their own interests to hold their papers so that nobody will come and harass them when they are doing their businesses. So we are calling on them to get their legitimate papers and they pay their rent as at when due,” Zalanga said.
In his response, the Chairman Railway Feed Miller’s Association and Raw Material, Kaduna South, Mr. Eric Osademe described the exercise as normal.
Osademe stressed that as law abiding citizens, they are bound to abide by all rules and regulations, adding that they are ready to comply with the directive since most of them have already obtained their forms.
“We will make sure that we follow up for solution and ensure that what is meant for documentation for all of us to acquire and continue with our businesses be done accordingly,” he stressed.
