By Ben Atonko & Ladi Patrick
Mr Umar Shuaibu, a town planner is immediate past Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC). He spoke with Viewpoint Housing News on the notice issued by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to revoke titles of all undeveloped plots and plots with abandoned buildings in areas of Abuja that are serviced with infrastructure. He urged the government to implement the policy to the letter while urging owners of plots to choose between either developing their plots or losing them as failure to carry out development of such plots contravenes the terms of Rights of Occupancy accepted by allottees as well as the provisions of Section 28(5)(a & b) of the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978.
Viewpoint: How would you react to the notice by the FCTA to revoke titles of undeveloped plots within the serviced areas of Abuja?
Shuaibu: Normally, when someone is given an allocation in the city, it usually states the purpose clause, which is the purpose for which the plot is given for or what should be built on that particular plot because it is for development. Therefore, the rule of the administration is that, if infrastructure is provided in an area, within two years, if the developer fails to develop the land, he or she stands the risk to loss the plot.
That is the policy. You are not given the plot to keep for a long time without developing it. And this is because the government has invested a lot of money to provide infrastructure to service these areas. So it will be a waste of resources for any developer to allow the plot to remain fallow without development for long.
Unfortunately, most of the people that have been allocated these lands rather than coming to develop them, they leave them undeveloped whereas there are other capable Nigerians who have capacity and have applied for plot allocation within the FCT but could not get plot because all these plots are already committed to some individuals.
The people that have been allocated these plots did not develop and there are serious developers who have the means to develop and add value to the economy but are denied because some persons have failed to develop the plots given to them which is the reason why this administration has decided to conduct a holistic check with a view to identifying these plots that are within the service areas and are not developed so that they can issue them notice for revocation of the plots as stipulated by the law.
Viewpoint: Is it possible for government to identify and reach all the individuals involved?
Shuaibu: Yes, the government has the records and so they will be able to identify the individuals because these plots were allocated to individuals, groups and organizations.
Viewpoint: Apart from the problem of speculation, are there other issues that troubled government about the undeveloped plots?
Shuaibu: Yes, because some of these plots that are empty have become a threat to people living around the environs as they have become overgrown with weeds with harmful reptiles around.
While some have been converted to illegal refuse dumping site by people. The Abuja Environmental Protection Board is working hard to clear.
Also, some of the buildings are a deathtrap as they collapse while some are used as a hiding place hoodlums and criminals. The crimes that are committed within the city are by occupants of these uncompleted buildings in these serviced areas. There are so many vices from the undeveloped plots of these serviced areas.
Viewpoint: So the revoke notice is not just for plots that are undeveloped but also for buildings under construction?
Shuaibu: Yes, because such uncompleted buildings that have been abandoned for long are prone to sudden collapse and often result in loss of lives.
Viewpoint: What about plots that are under litigation and as a result suffer delays in development which might not be the fault of the owner(s)?
Shuaibu: So long as the litigation is not between the government and individual(s) concerned, it will affect them because, you know, most litigations are as a result of failed transactions between the owner and the new buyer which does not concern the government. What the authorities want is for you to develop the plot.
Viewpoint: The allocation of plot is the responsibility of the FCT minister but oftentimes, plots are given without verification whether allottees have capacity to develop the plots. What then is the responsibility of the minister that allotted the plot in this instance?
Shuaibu: I don’t believe that a minister will allocate plot without due process. Perhaps it happened in the previous administrations but not this administration that is fighting corruption.
Viewpoint: Based on your observation as a professional, which of these districts in the nation’s capital is mostly affected?
Shuaibu: I can’t say specifically but what I know is that there are so many undeveloped and abandoned buildings in all the districts across the city. There are six residential districts and one commercial district. There are 14 in phase two and the threat covered all the districts.
Viewpoint: Do you have any idea of the number of plots that might be affected by these exercise?
Shuaibu: I’m not aware of the number for now but I believe that from the assessment conducted to identify these plots, the authorities have a number of plots that will be affected.
Viewpoint: So the unserviced districts may not be affected by this exercise.
Shuaibu: I don’t think so.
Viewpoint: What is your advice to government and the public concerning this directive?Shuaibu: My advice to the government is that they should implement this to the letter because what they are doing is in the interest of the society and to the public. I would say they should choose between either developing their plots or having them revoked by the administration.
