By Joyce Remi – Babayeju
The FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has assured FCT indigenes of getting the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for their native lands.
Wike gave the natives in the Abuja Municipal Area Council( (AMAC) this assurance on Wednesday during a thank you visit to that Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) that the government would issue the Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) on their ancestral lands to address longstanding issues over land ownership.
The minister’s thank-you visit to AMAC’s youths, traditional rulers, political leaders, and other stakeholders was following the recent area council elections, where he recommitted to his inclusive governance policy and direct engagement with grassroots communities.
The minister told the teeming population that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had mandated him to work closely with residents to bring back hope to the people of FCT.
“I remember vividly when I came for the town hall meeting at a time insecurity was high and people had lost hope. I told you then that Mr. President asked me to come and interact with you and assure you that hope will return. Today, we are seeing that hope restored.”
Apologizing for his late arrival to the rousing visit, the minister said, “It is not in our character to keep our people waiting. The FEC meeting that delayed me was also in the interest of AMAC and the FCT at large,” he said.
He recalled that during his earlier engagement with residents, each area council told to nominate projects for commissioning within the first six months of the administration.
Noting that AMAC had nominated Saburi Road, which has since been completed and commissioned.
“You asked for Saburi Road. To the glory of God, that road has been commissioned.”
“Relationships must not be one-sided. You do for me, and I do for you. When you fulfill your part, government must fulfill its own,” he said.
Wike emphasized that under President Tinubu’s administration, the FCT would no longer have ministers who remain distant from the people.
“The President does not want a Minister of FCT who will sit in the office without knowing what the people of Ketti want, what the people of Kabusa want, what the people of Wasa or Saburi want. Governance must be about direct engagement,” he declared.
He also cautioned against “chameleon” politicians who only identify with communities during election periods.
“Never again should politicians deceive you. Some people never visited certain communities while in office, but suddenly become emergency contractors when they need votes. We must distinguish between those who are sincere and those who are not,” Wike said.
Furthermore, Wike assured the traditional leaders that the administration would prioritize issues concerning resolving land disputes and ensuring that indigenous residents are not unfairly displaced.
He reaffirmed his dedication to fulfilling the mandate given to him by President Tinubu and pledged continued collaboration with community leaders to sustain development across AMAC and the entire Federal Capital Territory.
Earlier, AMAC Chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, expressed his appreciation the FCT minister for his visible support before and during the election, attributing his involvement as pivotal to the council’s victory.
Traditional rulers, represented by the Sape of Garki, Usman Nga Kupi, commended Wike for what they described as noticeable development strides across the FCT.
However, they appealed for further intervention in land allocation issues affecting indigenous settlements and requested buffer zones to protect affected communities during future developments.
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