By Ben Adoga, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has engaged community leaders in the FCT and warned against the illegal expansion of communities.
The Administration also warned residents who indulge in buying illegal lands from natives.
They explained that the natives go beyond the perimeters allotted to them and sell other areas, in spite of several warnings not to buy lands from natives as only the FCT Minister has the powers to allocate land or sign out lands on behalf of the President.
FCTA said the renewed massive demolition of illegal structures in some of the communities along the Airport road, was because some residents were embarking on an illegal expansion of the areas by selling land without the government’s approval.
FCTA decried the rate at which some communities on that road axis were expanding, with local chiefs still selling land illegally to people to build without the government’s approval.
Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah who disclosed this, late Wednesday, during an interactive meeting with Traditional and other Community leaders from over 10 villages, said Zamani village, where illegal structures have been marked for demolition, is one of the places where some residents have disregarded government’s warning to embark on unapproved expansion.
Attah while expressing displeasure that residents were forcing the government to spend scarce resources on demolition exercises, also vowed that enforcement of orders will not abate until environmental sanity was restored to all parts of the territory.
Attah equally noted that FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello was determined to root out all the illegalities, having warned local Chiefs who illegally sell land, as well as those buying and developing such land.
Attah while reiterating that the houses of the indigenous people located within the approved areas won’t be demolished, said that all the structures on the illegal expansion would be pulled down.
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He explained that the essence of holding meetings with traditional and community leaders of the affected places was to ensure proper sensitization, as well as galvanize support.
He further warned people who have continued with the habit of buying and building houses illegally in any part of Abuja.
According to him, such practices amount to a colossal waste of resources and are also very tragic to economic growth.
Also Speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Community Relation, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, called on the various community leaders to desist from all negative activities that will attract punitive measures from the government.
Yamawo also assured the leaders that indigenous peoples’ houses would not be affected by the demolition exercise.
