By Stanley Onyekwere
Respite may be on the horizon for original inhabitants and unintended victims of the ongoing demolition exercise in the nation’s capital, as the FCT Administration has promised to look into such cases, with a view to ameliorate their sufferings.
Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Mr. Olusade Adesola, made the assertion at a sensitisation campaign on the recent removal of illegal structures in the FCT.
Adesola, who was represented at the event by the Director, Permanent Secretary’s Office, Mr. Udoh Samuel Atang, assured that the FCT Administration under the leadership of Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, will ensure that all those with genuine grievances and complaints are attended to speedily.
He therefore appeal to all those affected in one way or the other to remain calm and law abiding.
While stressing that the cleanup exercises is not in anyway targeted at any group, the Permanent Secretary said the move is part of measures at ensuring that development of Whilethe territory conforms with the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.
“May I draw the attention of this important audience to the fundamental reasons that necessitated the relocation of the nation’s capital from Lagos to Abuja. Some of such include; unplanned urban layouts, indiscriminate construction of residential and commercial structures, among others.
“You will all agree with me that if not for constant and courageous operations in the enforcement of physical development in Abuja, the city would have become a major slum by now,” he said.
He assured that the “FCT Administration will continue to operate within the ambit of all extant laws and regulations governing the physical planning and development of the Federal Capital Territory, and will respect the rights of citizens, particularly the Original Inhabitants.”
The Permanent Secretary further warned that no one has the power to allocate any parcel of land in the FCT, as the responsibility is vested only in the FCT Minister who performs such onerous task on behalf of the President.
“The FCT Administration seriously frowns at the ugly situation where unsuspecting citizens acquire land in the territory from unauthorised sources only to face unpleasant consequences thereafter. Thus, it is strongly advised that residents who wish to acquire land in the FCT should follow due process as laid down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
“It is pertinent at this juncture to state that the FCT Administration will continue to operate within the ambit of all extant laws and regulations governing the physical planning and development of the Federal Capital Territory, and will respect the rights of citizens, particularly the Original Inhabitants.”
Also speaking at the event, the Secretary of Garki Community, Lazarus Nyaholo, absolved local Chiefs and other traditional of illegally allocating lands to residents, insisting that most indigenous lands are being sold by individual land owners.
Nyaholo who blamed the conversion of their farm lands of the original inhabitants for the unprecedented growth of slums in the territory, explained that the Indigene have forced to build make shift shanties and other structure as alternative means of livelihood.
While calling on indigene to think about the future of the city and their families and desist from selling land, said the development of the FCT is the benefit of all.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director FCT Department of Reform Coordination, Dr. Jummai Ahmadu, shanties and and illegal structures keep springing up in the FCC and satalite towns despite several sensitisation efforts and warning to that effect.
She said the responsibility of preserving the aesthetic beauty of the FCT is a collective approach, including the FCT Administration which is taking bold step at removing illegal structure and shanties.
Ahmadu however assured that the interest of original inhabitants is paramount to the FCT Administration and would not hesitate to compensate all those with genuine grievances and petitions.
The sensitisation campaign organised by the FCT Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement is aimed at sensitizing all those affected by the recent removal of illegal structures in the nation’s capital city.
