Abuja Master Plan Abuse: FCTA may Sanction Erring Officials, Monarchs

Source: EWACHE AJEFU, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF. - thewillnigeria.com
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PHOTO: THE OFFICIAL GATEWAY INTO THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA,

ABUJA, June 02, (THEWILL) - The FCT Administration will not hesitate to deal decisively with any one, with the possibility of removal from office, persons standing on the way of full realization of the Abuja Master Plan.


FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed dropped this hint on Tuesday†in Abuja while addressing Chairmen of the FCT Area Councils and Traditional Rulers on illegal and spontaneous developments in Abuja City Centre.


The Minister revealed that the FCT Administration will continue to give recognition to traditional institutions and carry them along in relevant programmes that will affect the citizenry, especially their subjects with the aim of promoting the concepts as well as the tenets of inclusiveness to bridge the urban divide.


"However, we will not hesitate to deal appropriately and decisively with any one, (with the possibilities of removal from office) no matter his status in the society, if such a person stands in the way of our realization of the desire to evolve a safe, healthy, convenient and sustainable development through the actualization of the provisions of the City Master Plan and Regional Development Plan for the FCT," he emphasized.


Senator Mohammed reiterated that the FCT Administration will not condone the situation where indigenes put up illegal structures in the name of securing livelihood.


According to him, this will make the Authority lose its moral right to control illegal developments among other Nigerians, if it tolerates same from indigenous villagers due to temporary challenges posed by non-resettlement.


His words: "For the avoidance of doubt about the present FCT Administration’s commitment to the Resettlement Programme, over N5 billion has been earmarked for that purpose in 2010 budget".


The Minister decried the practice of burying the dead within and in the immediate environments by the indigenous settlements within the FCT and warned that such practice must stop forthwith.


Senator Mohammed directed the Traditional Rulers to inform the people in their domain to stop the practice forthwith and bury their dead ones in existing Government Cemeteries or be faced with full wrath of the law.


"The Chairmen of the Area Councils will be held accountable where this directive is further violated," he added.


The Minister noted that some indigenes are in the habit of planting crops and economic trees in areas already allocated to prospective developers only to come up with claims for compensation from bona-fide allottees of plots in Government layouts before being allowed access to their land.


Senator Mohammed also directed the Traditional Rulers to inform their subjects that such attitudes will no longer be tolerated and that any of such in future will be considered as confrontational which will be met with appropriate actions as provided by the law.


Speaking earlier, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Goke Adegoroye (OON) who was represented at the occasion by the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Architect Fatima Bintu-Shettima lamented that the Abuja natives are†in the habit†of re-building structures painstakingly removed earlier.


Dr. Adegoroye complained about manhandling of FCTA officials and vandalization of the machines as well as Police Out-Post†in the process of their official assignments by the indigenous population.