The authority of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has declared that it will ensure the clearance of all illegal settlements, especially shanties obstructing developmental projects in the Federal Capital City.
In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communication and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, the Administration noted concerns over unplanned developments in parts of Durumi District, particularly Area 1 in Garki District, saying that Irregular activities and unregulated settlements, with their implications for urban planning and the well-being of FCT residents, need to be carefully addressed.
In his bid to ensure a more organised and liveable FCT, the Minister, Nyesom Wike, set up a Stakeholders’ Committee comprising heads of security agencies, FCTA officials, Civil Society Organisations, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and others.
The Minister’s aide explained that it was identified at the committee meeting that, apart from preventing land allottees from making use of their lands and hindering government’s developmental projects, the shanties in Area 1, Durumi had become a major obstacle to proper land use and city management.
He added that although some of the shanties in Area 1, Durumi were cleared in the past, they had since re-emerged, affecting the overall aesthetics and orderly development of the area.
Consequently, he noted that the FCTA has already begun clearing shanties in the City Centre, and those in Area 1, Durumi will also be cleared very soon.