– Remaining land for planned development of the district
“The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares. I said that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land.”
By Ola Kay
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has announced that the FCT Administration recovered 7,000 hectares of land out of 11,000 hectares acquired by the University of Abuja from inception.
The minister made the disclosure during the commissioning of the newly constructed access roads in the Giri District of Abuja, even as he lamented “land grabbing” by the university, alleging that the institution fenced off large expanse of land without proper documentation.
The minister said: “The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares. I said that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land.”
He therefore mandated the Director of Lands and other relevant FCTA agencies to allocate only 4,000 hectares of the 11,000 hectares to the university, while the remaining land should be reallocated for planned development within the district.
Wike assured residents and stakeholders that the FCTA remained focused on infrastructural development in Giri and surrounding areas.
He also assured that internal road construction within the district would commence soon according to the laid out plans by the FCDA.
He stressed that, “Having created this access road, we have told the Executive Secretary of FCDA and other relevant agencies to start working on details of how we are going to do the roads within the district. So, be assured that maybe next one year, it will be a different thing.”
Wike also spoke about the possibility of a potential synergy with the National Assembly in setting up institutions in the district, as he informed of FCTA’s readiness and support for land provision to fast-track the process.
About the EFCC Academy, one of the major institutions in the area, which is expected to commence operations immediately following the completion of the road, which now provides easy access for equipment mobilization and structural development, the minister said, “They will start the academy immediately because now they have access roads that they can move in their equipment and develop this. And when this comes, you see that other people will also move in and develop their own area.”
Wike promised to provide essential amenities such as roads, water, and electricity to attract investors and improve the living conditions in the district.
He noted that the problems in the district are often associated with lack of facilities and infrastructure, apart from people not being encouraged.
He stressed by saying that, “So, we will do everything we can to see that basic infrastructure is being provided.”
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