From Umar Dankano, Yola.
The Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has revoked the sales of government residential Houses and lodges at Dougirei quarters in the state capital which initially was sold out by the ousted Governor Murtala Nyako’s administration on owner-occupier scheme.
The supervisory commissioner for ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Bashiru Ahmad made the disclosure in a press release issued yesterday in Yola, viewing the acquisition of the buildings by some operatives of the immediate past administration as an act of illegality, stressing that due process was not followed in the entire exercise.
“The state Executive Council has decided to revoke the purported sale which did follow any due process and was done in total contravention of the existing law of the Owner-Occupier Scheme with effect from today, 3rd September, 2014”. The release revealed.
According to the release, those houses at Dougirei are official residential buildings that supposed to house cabinet members (commissioner oners) and falls under the category of those houses not be sold at any time.
“They are to remain as official quarters for serving commissioners who are to pay rents should they choose to reside in the quarters. This therefore forecloses the issue of free accommodation even for the serving commissioners.
“Government viewed the sale of these quarters by the operatives of the past government to themselves at the value of N5 million as a criminal act which cannot be condoned by any responsible government. As we are all aware, the average cost of a virgin plot of land around that area goes to about N70 million much less a developed one”. The statement queried.
It further explained that, in 2002 when that government of the day divided to sale it’s properties (houses) under the owner-occupiers scheme it set up a committee which looked in to the desirability or otherwise of the programme then categorized the houses and estate to be sold.
It added that, after a careful study of the committee’s report by council, which was adopted, a white paper was issued on the 16thSeptember, 2012 and it was subsequently gazetted as law titled Adamawa state Gazette No. 39 of September 2006, which is there for reference and guidance.
The statement directed the occupants to vacate the houses within 7 days or face the wrath of the law squarely
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