Stories by Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday demolished over 20 multi-million Naira corner shops that were allegedly built on the road corridors and obstructing traffic along the stretch of Tunde Idiagbon way, in Utako District of Abuja.
FCTA officials drawn from all the relevant agencies and accompanied by joint security team were on ground for the demolition which started as early as 5 a.m in the area, which hitherto was causing traffic gridlock.
Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Tpl Umar Shuiabu, who spoke to journalists at the site lamented that about the traffic and illegal activities on the stretch of the encroached road corridors, which he said is unacceptable.
According to him, “This is a continuous cleanup of Abuja, this area was very notorious, as anytime you pass here, there is always traffic jam, and the reason is because of the illegal activities in this area, while the motor park is inside, the illegal market is outside.
“Unfortunately, there was an illegal allocation not by constituted authority to build a market outside the park, which is generating all these tensions, we have been on this matter for a very longtime, for so many years.
“And we have given them notice so many times but up till now, these people didn’t comply the last one was given and we followed all necessary processes.
“Now we have ministerial directive to clear the place and that is what we are doing in the next few days, you will have free flow of traffic, this is what we want in the city of Abuja.
“ Whatever you want to do, you must follow the process before you build”.
Similarly, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, reiterated that the Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, is not happy about the contraventions in Utako, and therefore gave matching order for immediate removal.
He said: “The Minister actually took several FCT officials round early last week and showed everyone the contraventions across this area in Utako connecting Wuye district popularly referred to as Tunde Idiagbon way.
“ The Minister frowned at so many abnormalities in this area, which include babanbola, illegal shanties, shops, batchers, and he wants everything addressed immediately, so every relevant agencies have come to do their operation.”
Also speaking, Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, said there is no payment of any form of compensation to the dislodged owners of the removed structures.
“There is no compensation because the corner shops were built since El Rufai, and they have outlived their stay, purpose and government gave them a grace of five years and they are suppose to come and renew but since then no renewal and so they have outlived their stay. There is no compensation”.
For one of those affected by the demolition, David Walter, Manager Eddymark International Agency limited, who described the exercise as unfortunate, the FCTA should have given them more time to remove their goods.
“It actually unfortunate, although the marking has been there for a while but they came on Friday to mark it again.
“They didn’t even give us the day, they are coming, they just came before 6am and started demolition and they didn’t give us enough notice”, he stressed.
