Minister pledges to uphold Abuja master plan

Posted by admin Abuja (FCT), State News Thursday, April 7th, 2011

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reiterated its resolve to preserve the Abuja Master Plan as the only working city in the country.

Minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed, gave the assurance on Tuesday when he received members of the territory’s wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.

Mohammed said if the Abuja Master Plan was compromised, it would abort the dreams of its founding fathers and turn it into a ghetto, which he said would not augur well for the nation’s capital.

The minister stressed that the FCT Administration was equally not interested in undertaking any unwarranted or uncoordinated change of land use because this would have multiplier effects on the entire territory, including a retrogressive effect on security and transportation network.

Reacting to a plea by the socio-cultural organisation to redress the injustices done to some residents, whose property were demolished by the previous FCT administrations, Mohammed assured that subsequent demolition exercises in the territory would follow the rule of law.

He said although laws would be followed strictly, this would be done with a human face by carrying the residents along through adequate notices.

The minister assured that the administration was willing to allocate a suitable plot of land for the construction of the FCT chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretariat in Abuja if the group applied for it.

Mohammed directed his Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Dr. Musa Musa, to investigate the cases of traders allegedlty denied shop space at the Garki, Wuye and Mabushi district markets despite paying the legal allocation fees and report back to him in one week.

He charged the organisation to mobilise their members to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the general elections, stressing that the President represented the face of a new Nigeria.

The minister lauded the Igbo for their entrepreneurial spirit and capacity to mix freely with other ethnic groups across the country and beyond.

While stating that all political appointments in the FCT Administration took cognisance of the country’s six geo-political zones, Mohammed urged the Igbo to live in peace with other Nigerians and promote good neighbourliness.

Chairman, Ohaneze Ndigbo, FCT Chapter, Nwabueze Obi, commended the minister for successfully piloting the affairs of the FCT administration since assumption of office and assured of the cooperation of the Igbo residents in the nation’s capital.

-Guardian

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