Interview Rampaging land grabbers major threat to Abuja’s dev’t - Galadima

Town Planer, MUKHTAR GALADIMA, the Director, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Department of Development Control, in this interview expressed alarming proliferation of illegal estate development propelled by rampaging land grabbers, now posing serious negative implication on the Abuja’s development. He spoke to our correspondent, STANLEY ONYEKWERE. Excerpts:

Recently, your office revealed planned massive demolition in Apo Tapi and two others, what’s the status of this threat?

We have started already, and there is no going back, and we are doing it with human face. We even sit down and tried to engage them, and explained to them why we are doing what the thing. And some of them understand with us. But, I know it is painful, because somebody may have invested so much. All the same, we are doing what is humanly possible in the line of duty.

Could you provide a background to what is happening in Lugbe, Apo Tapi areas?

The whole thing started when the FCT Administration directed all the zona officers to return back to their respective head offices, that is the department of Urban and regional planning. So with that development, issues arising from Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) layout started coming up. I thing the beginning was when Lugbe axis was considered as phase 5 of the city. So places like Gosa and Lugbe district were considered as part of phase 5 of the city. Then, people started coming up with document, claiming that AMAC had allocated land around this axis, and they want to develop property, but when you discuss with rural and regional planning, and they you that they have not any detailed designed around this axis. Therefore, for anybody to now come up with document claiming that there was allocations from AMAC or it zonal planning office is not tenable.

That’s why we have some problems in Kiyami, where some of these developments were sited on other people’s plots, so the same thing that applies to Gosa-Kiyami area started springing up in Apo axis. You know, initially before the Apo resettlement scheme, there was Apo Layout, which was allocated to individuals, but during the time of Malam El’rufai, the allocations were withdrawn, the affected people were relocated to somewhere else. And people are still holding some of these old document, claiming that they have title over the land there. The question is, even if you have to develop your land, you have to obtain building plan approval, and most of the times, you go, and you see that developers don’t have approvals. So, by the time we visit such sites, at different stage we make sure we give you relevant notices to stop.

What’s the exact timeline when the the policy to make Lugbe and Gosa Districts part of the phase V of the Federal Capital City?

I recall that in 2007, when the whole idea of replanning of Phase V came up, there was adequate information. In fact, there was wild publicity as regards to annexing that axis into the city’s development geometry as it was considered as Phase V of the city.

That is starting from 2007 to 2011 and down to this time now.

So, what if the situation were to be left unchecked, of what implication will it be to the city development ?

If we leave it (the illegal developments), what is the essence of the city plan? We have a master plan for the city, and original plan for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). So, if we allow anybody to just go and get a parcel of land and start developing without recourse to the plan, then what is the essence of it, this has a serious negative implication on the Abuja’s development. That is why we are doing our modest effort to check at this budding stage.

What are the action plans to ensure that infractions on the policy are corrected?

The action plan is really to determine who does what, and what action are we going to take- whether kinetic or non-kinetic action; and are we going to remove structures or integrating them into the city. But, the issue of integration has not arisen here. First and foremost, let us see what is on ground and aim of the development, what is the plan for that area, as regards the master plan provisions, and from there we move on. We have already informed the general public, and we will continue to inform further on the activities of these land grabbers. The public should be aware that now, land grabbers are on the rampage, so the people should know this fact. Nobody should just go and say I want to buy property in an estate without knowing where the estate is located, and to do this, you need to have a written confirmation that the estate is authentic, it has past all due diligence, duly allocated, approved and even the development has been properly supervised. We are calling on the general public to know that not every estate that they should go and subscribe, as you have to do your due diligence. The public should know that ignorance of law is not a subject to be entertain, because as citizens, you are expected to do a due diligence on anything you intend to do. When you want to develop or purchase a property in the FCT, you have to make sure that the land is validly allocated, planned and approved for that development. And for you to be certain at what you are doing, if it is an estate, you should go to the department of Urban and Regional Planning to confirm that it was duly approved, then go to the lands department, to check if it is a authentic land allocated by the relevant authority. Even if you are going to purchase or do transaction with another (third) party, you have to go to the lands department for confirmation through what they call legal search. Then, if the building is on ground, and you want to purchase or rent a property there, you can come to Development Control to confirm its building approval. Whatever you are going for confirmation, insist that it should be given in writing, so that tomorrow, nobody will turn back and deny confirming anything.