…Staff allocate lands, issue fake documents
Despite the no-nonsense posture of the Minister of FCT, Muhammad Bello, top officials of the FCT Administration, are issuing letters of land allocation to members of the public in exchange for money.
Acting coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Abdulhamid Sulaiman, made this disclosure in his office. He warned the public not to fall victim to such criminal activities, but always ensure that they get any land allocation through the right channels.
“The FCT Administration is already aware that some unscrupulous elements, in connivance with some officials, are reportedly issuing letters of allocation in this respect. Anybody caught dealing on these illegal allocations will not only be dealt with in the Civil Service way, but will also be prosecuted,” he told newsmen.
The coordinator specifically stated that only the Minister of FCT has the power to allocate any land in the territory, be it open spaces, green areas or recreational parks.
He added that the exclusive powers to allocate land in the nation’s capital were delegated to the Minister by President and Commander-in-Chief, as the Governor-General of FCT.
Suleiman who further disclosed that there was an existing embargo on land allocation for green areas, recreational parks and open spaces in the FCT, affirmed that any allocation or transaction with respect to these land purposes while the embargo subsists was “null and void.”
He said: “So any transaction outside the Minister’s approval is deemed illegal and illegitimate and will be prosecuted and the culprit punished accordingly.
“In addition to that, I also want to draw the attention of the public to strict adherence to development control guidelines because the FCT is a planned city, based on the Abuja Master Plan and all the regulations must be followed in order to avoid distortion that could risk destruction of lives and property.
“Therefore, those willing to develop their legitimately and legally allocated land should approach the Development Control department for guidance and proper approval before they can commence development.”
The AMMC boss also advised the public to desist from and avoid construction of structures along river courses and flood plains to mitigate devastating effects of flood in parts of the FCT, even as he tasked them to own the huge existing infrastructure and report any incidence of vandalism to appropriate authorities.
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