….Vows to flatten illegal buildings even if they belonged to a Minister or an Ambassador
The pronuncement by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on resuming office on Monday, has continued to send fears across the length and breadth of Abuja and among those who have properties in the capital city. The Minister said all illegal buildings distorting the Abuja master plan would be pulled down.
Wike blowing hot vowed to flatten all illegal buildings even if they belonged to a minister or an ambassador.
Major focus of the Minister are houses built in green areas, lands that had remained undeveloped for a long period of time okada riders and those with irregular documentation on their properties.
Wike stated, “All those people who are distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad. If you know you have built where you are not supposed to build, it will go down. Be you a minister of anywhere, be you an ambassador, if you know you have developed where you were not supposed to develop, your house must go down. Those who have taken over the green areas to build; sorry, our parks must come back, the green areas must come back. If you hate green, you must hate yourself.’’
Continuing, the ex-governor added, ‘’And those that the government has given C of O (Certificate of Occupancy) or allocated lands to them, that refused to develop and use, and they are becoming land speculators, the land is gone. I’m going to revoke them. We will take back our land and give to those who want to develop, and you must sign that you must develop at so and so time.’’
The minister took time to explain why he would not spare ground rent defaulters, stating that he would not issue a demand notice before revoking their plots.
He warned, “For those of you who also have refused to pay your ground rent; non-payment of ground rent is a breach of covenant. I don’t need to write to you to pay. So, if you have not paid, be it national whatever you call it, bank o, anywhere; big man o, sorry, I will not be tired to revoke.’’
‘’And all those who have left their old houses to be shanties for criminals; you are building houses for over 15 years, uncompleted buildings, now criminals have taken over the place, the government will take it back. All those uncompleted buildings defacing the city, particularly in Maitama and Asokoro, and Wuse, all those areas, I’ll take them back,’’ he threatened.
Vowing to rid the city of motorcycles and tricycles, he said, “Motorcycles cannot take over the city, it is not possible. You are dragging a road with a motorcycle, and even the motorcycle is not wearing any security, no helmet, and he’s carrying somebody at the back. Keke Napep (tricycles) have taken over the whole place.
“We are going to provide alternatives to reduce the suffering of the people, who may not have the means to have their own private vehicles. We must also extend development to the area councils, we must extend development.
“If you do that, so many people would not like to come and live in the city. That’s part of decongesting the city. Look at the Metro line, it’s not working, is it working? We will bring it back.”
With the prnouncement by the Minister people in several satellite towns and slums may begin to expect the visit of Government towards ensuring that the Master plan of the capital city is adhered to.
There are stong indications that all those who acquired lands from Abuja indigenes may also lose their investments as the acquisitions were regarded by the FCT Administration as illegal.
An estimated number of 6,000 structures are believed to be within the radar of the FCT Administration towards the restructuring startegies.
The Director, FCTA Department of Development Control , Muktar Galadima, had reportdly stated that a new survey might be conducted to evaluate the current realities.
According to Galadima, “We would have to go back to the field to ascertain that figure because some of them have completed their development since we gave that figure. We would find time to go back and conduct a new survey. As of February 2022, 6,000 abandoned houses were identified.”
