FCTA Demolishes 11,705 Shanty Colonies, Generates N2.5bn Revenue

The Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished 11,705 shanty colonies across the city, Abuja, from January to October, according to an official. The department also generated N2.5 billion and created 13,873 direct and indirect jobs within the period. Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, FCTA, disclosed this during a media briefing on the activities of the department in Abuja on Sunday. Galadima explained that the shanties and illegal developments were demolished in conjunction with the Ministerial Enforcement Task Force Team. He identified the affected areas as Kabusa, Kasuwan dare, Galadimawa junction, Mabushi scavenger colony and Gudu District along Oladipo Diya way. He equally said that the department also removed obstructing structures on waterways at Lugbe, Jahi and Lokogoma. This, according to him, has curtailed the flooding being experienced within the city in recent years. He also said that the encroachment on rights of way and security black spots were equally dismantled in collaboration with security agencies in the FCT. The director also disclosed that a total of 1,764 building plan applications were received within the period, out of which 1,422 were granted approvals, including backlogs of previous years. On revenue generation, Galadima said that the N2.5 billion was generated from building plan approval and land use contraventions from January to October. He said that amount represents 68.5 per cent of the N3.7 billion target for the year, adding that of the N2.5 billion, N1.7 billion was generated from building plan approval alone. The director also explained that the 13,873 direct and indirect jobs were created at different stages of construction at various sites as approved by the department. Another achievement according to Galadima included the inauguration of One-Stop Vetting Team to treat backlog of files and fast -track of building plan approval for Plots within areas serviced with infrastructure. He added that the department also established Regional Offices to decentralise monitoring and enforcement activities in the Area Councils and Satellite Towns. “We equally inaugurated a Committee on the Prevention of Building Collapse in the FCT to proffer modalities and institutional framework to avert building collapse in the territory. “The department also inaugurated a Post-Development Audit which commenced at Dawaki as a pilot scheme. “The staff of the department equally carried out routine monitoring of physical development activities within the territory where contravening developments are served either with stop work, quit notice or demolition notice,” he said. On staff welfare, Galadima said that the department has institutionalised end of year activities where it appraises itself, enhances staff bonding as well as presents awards to deserving staff to boost morale. “There is also a monthly medical fitness check for all staff and monthly sporting activities to boost physical fitness of staff,” he added. He identified increasing cases of land grabbing and harassment of the department staff by security agencies as some of the challenges recorded within the period under review. “There is also the problem of non-resettlement of indigenous communities which created pockets of expanding slums throughout the city. “Another challenge is the inadequate and obsolete utility vehicles for monitoring and heavy-duty equipment for enforcement to cover the ever-growing territory. “Others are inadequate office accommodation, slow adoption information and communication technology, and non-0utilisation of land after removal of squatter settlements. “There is also the challenge of slow pace of infrastructural development especially in the satellite towns and abandoned buildings serving as criminal hideouts among others,” he said. 

FCTA demolishes illegal market used for criminal hideouts in Abuja

The officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday demolished an illegal market called “Kasuwan Dare”, a suspected hideout for hoodlums and drug dealers in Asokoro, Abuja. The market was located at Hassan Musa Katsina Street, near Kpaduma II in Asokoro Extension, Abuja. Speaking after the demolition, the Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, said that the illegal market was becoming a threat to the residents of the area and passerby. Galadima added that the area was turned into a haven for criminal activities despite relentless efforts by the FCT Administration to sanitise the area. He added that the miscreants operating in the area were affecting the aesthetic quality of the entire environment, adding that the Administration would allow it to continue. He said that area had to go because it constituted a security threat, adding that the area was also serving as a hideout for miscreants, drug dealers and men of the underworld. “The operation will help us get rid of the hoodlums and drug dealers that have taken over the place. “We had demolished the place about three times, but the nuisances rebuilt and continued their activities. “This time around, the demolished market will remain demolished. We need to sanitise the place and enhance the aesthetic quality of the environment. “It is also part of the current administration’s policy of sanitising the city, and this is one of the areas we are commencing the exercise,” he said. Also, the Secretary, FCTA Command and Control, Mr Peter Olumuji, said that efforts would be put in place to ensure the safety of residents in the area. The Village Head of Kpaduma, Mr Bitrus Yakubu, commended the FCT Administration for coming to their rescue and for ridding the area of hoodlums. “The place has been here for over twenty years but today it has gone down for our own good. “We are very happy as a community that the area is cleared for good,” Bitrus said.

We’ll deliver millennium tower project in 2 years –Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike declared that the ministry will deliver the Millennium Tower project in the next two years. Wike stated this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling different projects in the FCT. The Millennium Tower at Central Area, Abuja, is a multifunctional edifice with facilities for cultural exposition, tourism, socialisation, recreation, hospitality, and commercial activities. The project is being handled by Salini Construction Nigeria Limited but was abandoned due to lack of funds. He said that the tower was a very important project that would change the landscape of Abuja city. “It is a very ambitious project, but again if we are talking of Abuja being one of the best cities in the world, then we must have such a facility. “I can tell you it is not easy to go into that project, but we have decided that whatever it takes, it is going to be one of the legacy projects for President Bola Tinubu. “In fact, we are looking at the next two years, if the way we are going to structure our payment is agreeable with the contractor,” Wike said. NAN reports that the project, conceived in 2005 had reached 40 per cent completion, and is expected to, upon completion, self-finance itself from revenues generated from all the commercial activities in the complex. The scope of the project comprises a cultural centre with four museums, an expansive arcade consisting of 40,000m2 platform for hosting national and other events. It also consists of a five-star hotel with 55 luxury rooms and nine suites for about 130 persons, offices, passive and active recreational facilities, 1200 capacity auditorium, conference rooms, Others are exhibition halls, shops, a sport centre with an indoor pool, gyms, fitness, squash courts and a two-level 1,200 capacity basement car park. The millennium tower itself is a 170-meter-tall structure accommodating a revolving panoramic restaurant for more than 130 diners. The minister added that a careful analysis of all the awarded contracts with the contractors and his team have revealed that most of the projects were abandoned for lack of funds. “The Minister of State, myself, the permanent secretary, and directors have concluded that it is not possible to carry on with the entire projects in the FCT. “Therefore, we agreed to take them in order of priority. We have tried to work out most of the projects being handled by Julius Berger and agreed to see that these projects are fully completed,” he said. Wike added that the Villa Roundabout being handled by China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited, would be completed in the next six to eight months. He equally said that the ministry would ensure the completion of the projects being handled by Cetraco Nigeria Ltd, and also put a facelift on Garki, Wuse and part of Maitama in the next one week. He said that the contractors would be mobilised immediately, adding that Asokoro would equally have a facelift in no distant time. On the Abuja light rail rehabilitation project, the minister said that an agreement has been concluded with CCECC Nigeria Limited to give them their money in the next two days so they can go to work. “We are also discussing with the company on the operation cost, because it will not be good to rehabilitate and then you cannot operate. “We have told them that on Thursday, we are going to meet to talk about the operation cost,” he said. Wike pointed out that part of the problems of the projects was because they were not being funded by the national budget. He said that in view of the funding challenge, the ministry would pick some projects that could be completed within a specific period and then decide on what to do again in the following year.