By Joyce Babayeju
Residents of ECOWAS Estate Katampe Extension Abuja have insisted that they have no option but to block access passing through their estate to other estates in line with the advise of the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello.
The move according to the Chairman of the estate association Dr Austin Maho is as a result of the insecurity, theft and nuisance residents of ECOWAS Estate are daily subjected to.
Speaking with journalist in Abuja, the Chairman of the estate noted that in August of 2021 after series of petition over illegal land allocations within the estate and the creation of an access road through the estate to other estates outside the perimeter of ECOWAS estate. the minister undertook a working visit to the estate and saw things for himself.
“He was able to establish that illegal allocations of land on green areas, children’s play ground and walkways were made within the estate and gave orders for their suspension.
He also saw the illegal access leading through the estate to other estates. In the words of the Minister he said that if a 55 hectares estate exists without proper access road it means it is an illegal estate. He said we should dig a trench to block access through our estate, we could have acted immediately but some of the management committee members felt this would be unfair, what we did was to serve them notices and placed a couple of banners in the two entrances to alert the developers of the impending action. We gave them three months”.
Dr Maho said that being Nigerians apart from a few of them many treated the notices with levity. “One of them even questioned the authority of the Minister to give such a directive saying it was just a political statement and if he means it he should have gone ahead and have it Gazette”
Speaking further he said that the Minister came with all his directors including those of development control, land administration and AGIS, “they are all aware of the mess going on here and what the minister said.
ECOWAS estate was designed as a diplomatic estate, most of the residents are diplomats.
Articulated vehicles and heavy duty trucks plying our internal road have not only destroyed the road but residents are daily subjected to noise, dust and the danger posed by these vehicles.
It beggers belief that an approval was given for the development of a 55 hectares estate without proper Environmental Impact Assement. And proper layout and design
However we know they are violating the MOU they signed with the authorities. They are not adding any value. They are partition the land and selling to unsuspecting members of the public making a kill for themselves and not interested in spending money to developing the road leading to their estate but turn an existing and gated estate into a thoroughfare.
We urge them to do the right thing or else we may have no option but to also go to court to seek an injunction against these illegalities. He concluded.
