By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has announced plans to demolish no fewer than five hundred unapproved structures at Dutsen-Garki, in Apo District.
Director department of development control FCTA , Mukhtar Galadima disclosed this yesterday, after a stakeholders’ meeting with Dutsen-Garki natives.
Galadima said most individuals acquire lands from the natives without approval from the FCT Administration, which according to him, was an unacceptable practice.
Speaking through the Deputy Director, Monitoring and enforcement, Hassan Ogbole, the director said the administration would not spare any land or structure without approval from the constituted authorities.
He said: “The city is grappling with individuals acquiring lands from natives without FCT Administration approval, it is unacceptable to the government, this must not continue.
“We have instances of recent removals that have been carried out in some areas which is still in progress, there are many other illegal settlements in line, IEA in Dutsen-Garki which we just held a meeting about.
“We have a pending removal there to carry out because people we come, and buy from the natives, and deny the original allottees from taking over possession.
“In line with the FCTA reform agenda, before we embark on any removal we have to consult with the natives, so that we don’t take them unaware”.
Galadima said the officials of the department will use two weeks to mark the illegal structures before embarking on the full demolition exercise.
Similarly, the Deputy Director monitoring and enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Kaka Bello said the illegalities were affecting the environment and would not be allowed to remain.
Axcording to him: “A part from illegal expansion, people also build on water ways and is not good for the environment. The illegalities if not tackled will bring about flood and erosion” .
Not left out, the Dutsen-Garki community representative at the meeting, Danjuma Fanus appealed to the FCT Administration to give them more time to put things in a better shape.
“We appeal to the FCT Administration to give us more time, we just loss our chief. We will get back to the officials of the administration before the expiration of the deadline”, Fanus said.
