By Jennifer Yusuf
Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), says it will demolish no fewer than 50 houses built on waterways at Mbora District in Abuja.
Other houses to go, according to Malam Umar Jibrin, Executive Secretary, FCDA, include those infringing on corridors of roads.
Jibrin made the disclosure on Monday in AbujA, when he led a delegation of the management staff of the FCDA to inspect infrastructural development within the district.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that three housing estates – Sil Estate, Efab City Estate and Citec Estate, all in Life Camp area – are located in the district.
Jibrin said that the FCDA would take stock of all the infractions and obstructions within the affected Estates in the district, carry out a lot of technical consultations with relevant stakeholders, and decide on when the demolition would start.
“What we have seen is very serious; there is so much infractions into the corridors of our roads. There are other engineering services that usually come on our roads, like storm water, foul sewage and other services that come into the road used by residents.
“We are going to take stock and open consultations. A lot of technical consultations will be done by our officials to see the extent of the obstructions. When we finished that, we will be able to say when the demolition machines will come because they will surely come.
“I can’t say how many houses will be affected now, but they are going to be so many, depending on what the technical people come out with.
“I don’t want to mention figures just because I want to see figures flying, but it will not be less than 50 houses,” Jibrin said.
The executive secretary enjoined developers to always adhere to conditions attached to the land allocated to them and ensure adequate consultations with the relevant agencies.
He said that any developer that failed to consult the FCDA officials before embarking on projects should blame himself when the consequences come.
Jibrin said that FCDA had paid inspection visits, conducted some advocacy with the developers and held interactive sessions with them with a view to ensure that they abided by the law.
He urged developers to know that Abuja was a planned city and stressed the need for people to contact relevant authorities in FCTA and FCDA so that they won’t work off the documentation.
“We will not shift any road; people must realise that they must comply to rules and order; we will not shift the road as requested by some developers,” he warned.
The Director, Development Control, FCTA, Alhaji Muktar Galadima, in his remarks, said that the FCDA would carry out some consultations and investigation before the demolition exercise so as to ensure justice and fairness to all.
