The Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike on Friday inaugurated two committees to probe serial abuses of land allocation and issuance of Certificate of Occupancy ( C-of-O) in Abuja.
The Minister, who expressed concern over flagrant abuses of official processes by both civil servants and developers, also warned that the government would no longer tolerate such impunity.
Wike charged the two Committees to avoid both internal and external pressures that could lead to compromise of their purpose and mandate.
One of the Committees comprising General Counsel/Secretary Legal Service Secretariat Chairman, Senior Special Assistant – Lands & Urban & Regional Planning, Deputy Director, Lands, Director Security, Director Development Control, Director, Abuja Geographical Information System ( AGIS) and Secretary from Legal Services Secretariat, was mandated to probe the controversy involving the popular River Park Estates.
The second committee, comprising the Director, Development Control, who will serve as the Chairman, Director, Land Administration, Director, Surveying and Mapping, Director, Abuja Geographic Information System, Director, Engineering Services, and Director, Urban and Regional Planning Member/Secretary, was mandated to investigate abuses of land uses by developers and other residents.
The Committees given two weeks to turn in its findings, were also urged to leave nothing to chance.
He said, “ We found out in most cases that these clauses or these agreements have been violated. And so this committee is to look into the issues that are to do with River Park Estate and advise the government on the necessary steps to take in order to correct some of these anomalies. And the assignment must be concluded in two weeks time”
Wike added that, “ part of what we have in Abuja today is not the original master plan. Some people have their C of Os and if you look at what it is to be used, it will be stated commercial, but they will turn it to residential. Those things are gone without prior approval of the government.
“If it’s turned into a commercial use, it is a violation of the certificate that was issued to you. Now, this committee is to identify all those areas that are in violation of the use of the certificate of occupancy as given to citizens or residents, as the case may be”.
