By Ben Adoga, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has given an ultimatum to illegal settlers in Chika and Aleita communities along the Abuja science and technological village to face demolition.
In an inspection tour of the technical village yesterday flanked by his counterpart in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Uche Godfrey Nnaji, Wike directed the Department of Development Control to see the removal of the illegal settlers, noting that from the records compensations have been paid to the settlers or the original inhabitants.
Issuing the order, Wike said the fast encroachment was aided by the inability of the past administrations to take action and stop individuals from building illegally on the village, despite the payment of compensation. He however assured that his administration would demonstrate political will by stopping the illegal settlers.
He assured that the money expended in providing infrastructure for the village would not be a waste.
Expressing his surprise, the FCT Minister told the journalists that he thought activities were going on in the Village, directing the ministry to bring details on erecting an office complex in the facility, instead of staying in a rented building.
He added that their presence in the Village will drive more investors to the science and technology incubation Village.
Earlier the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Godfrey Nnaji, told Wike that leaving illegal settlers that have encroached on the buffer of the Village constituted a big risk and loss to the country’s investment drive to the Village that is a replica of London Technology Village.
He said the government of Great Britain was able to generate six billion pounds in six years from their Technology Village.
Nnaji noted that the country is standing on the chance of making more if the right environment is put in place.
The Abuja Technology Village was the creation of the Federal Government during the return of democracy to the country.
A Free Trade Zone was expected to incubate science and technology, but the subsequent administration under the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua with Senator Adamu Aliero as FCT Minister worked hard to see to the take-off of the village, but the administration was short-lived due to the death of Presidential Yar’Adua.
