Federal Gov’t To Seize Properties Of Retired Civil Servants Defaulting On Housing Loans

The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) has disclosed that it has begun compiling the list of retired civil servants who have not fully repaid the housing loans they obtained.

The head of information and public relations at FGSHLB, Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja while quoting the Executive Secretary of the Board, Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.

Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Patience Oyekunle.

She said the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement, adding that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.

Ahmed noted that this was in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rules 021002 (p) issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.

“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.

Ahmed clarified that the FGSHLB can reclaim mortgaged properties if a public servant leaves their position without fully repaying their loan. This policy also extends to retired officers with outstanding debts.

She urged all affected public servants to rectify their loan status and promptly obtain the necessary clearance certificate.

“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.

“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed,” she added.