The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has given his approval for the withdrawal and revocation of houses that were sold to individuals by the FCT Administration but have been converted to other uses. This announcement was made by Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of the Department of Development Control at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.
Mr. Galadima reminded everyone that the monetization program was initiated by the Federal Government in 2005 due to the high cost of maintaining these houses. The purpose of selling the houses to the occupiers was to transfer the responsibility of maintenance to them. However, over time, some beneficiaries converted the properties from residential to other uses, causing significant challenges in terms of city administration and management.
“It is on this note that the Minister has approved and directed all owners of such properties to revert to the original and designated land use, which is residential,” said Galadima. He also added that starting from November 1, any property that fails to comply with this directive will be considered as revoked and returned to the FCT Administration.
According to the director, the Department of Development Control has already recorded over 111 cases of land use conversion across all districts of the capital city. Despite notifying property owners and giving them sufficient time to revert to the original land use, many have failed to comply.
Galadima emphasized that the FCTA will decide on the appropriate action once the houses are revoked. Furthermore, the Minister has directed owners of properties, especially those situated along major streets, that have been converted without approval to either revert to their original use or pay contravention charges.
“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the administration taking appropriate action, which may include revocation,” Galadima stated. He emphasized that the purpose of publicizing this decision and directive is to maintain the sanctity of the Abuja Master Plan.
The FCT Administration is committed to ensuring that all properties within its jurisdiction are being used in accordance with the approved land use. The revocation of houses converted to other uses aims to maintain the integrity of the FCT and uphold the original purpose of the properties.
This article was originally published by NAN.
