The Managing Director of Powell Homes and Shelters Limited, Architect Onyekachi Chibuikem Emmanuel, has urged the governments of the Southeast region of Nigeria to standardize the levies imposed on estate developers, property owners, and investors by the youth of various communities, collectively referred to as the “youth Levy.”
During a live interactive program on 100.3 Udoka FM in Enugu on Tuesday, Arch. Emmanuel, who also serves as the Publicity Secretary of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria Enugu State Chapter, emphasized that the exorbitant and inconsistent levies are significant barriers to community development and the real estate sector.
He explained that in some communities, developers face multiple rounds of youth levies, and often, new enforcement teams claim ignorance of previous transactions and payments, resulting in developers being forced to pay multiple times within a few years. While he acknowledged that this practice may have originated in the Southwest, where it is more common, he pointed out that the issue lies not in the levy itself but in its abuse. “Today, we find communities imposing various youth fees because the enforcement agents are often elected. When you purchase property and promptly pay the youth fees, if you return to develop that property after a few years, you may encounter a new group insisting they haven’t received your payment, even when you present a valid receipt, since they weren’t in power at the time,” he stated. “This is a clear example of how the concept of youth is being misused, resulting in rampant extortion of investors and developers. However, if regulated properly, it could significantly enhance security and development within communities.”
Arch. Emmanuel further revealed that estate developers, property owners, and investors are currently shouldering substantial costs, having to provide their own security in addition to the substantial sums paid to the youth, who are meant to facilitate community development and ensure safety.
He also noted that investors who purchase land from Powell Homes and Shelters Limited do not concern themselves with the youth fees or the complications that come with them, as the company handles these matters.
The Powell Homes CEO asserted that government and community intervention to establish uniform payment standards across the Southeast would greatly alleviate the issue of undue extortion within the industry.
