FCT warns councils against illegal land approvals

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned the six area councils against granting unauthorised approvals for land in any part of the territory.

It restated that none of the six area councils of Abaji, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kwali and AMAC has the legal rights to give approvals to lands except the FCTA.

The Director of Development Control Department, Mukhtar Galadima, who gave the warning following the recent demolition of some poultry farms in Kubwa, added that all approvals for land allocations in the territory must be endorsed by the FCT minister.

Galadima frowned at some officers that use the name of area councils to grant or backdate land approvals to residents, adding that the department has taken it upon itself to address the challenge, as part of plans for 2021.

He explained that the poultry farms in Kubwa were demolished by the department, because the farms were operating on a site designated as Kubwa District Centre which was meant to accommodate facilities such as, stadium complex, shopping complex, markets and others facilities in the area.

The director further disclosed that the department planned to organise a joint parley with heads of the area councils in the FCT to tackle the challenge and address the public on the roles and responsibilities of the department to avoid any form of illegalities.

He stated that as part of the new FCT parking policy, the administration will no longer tolerate holding event centres in parks and gardens in any part of the territory, adding that it has become totally unacceptable, saying the department has stopped giving approvals for such.

Galadima explained further that the department also carried a demolition exercise on illegal structures at Tee & Cee Park in Area 3 because of the abuse of development plan in the area.

‘’There are illegal structures built within the stream corridor, open spaces and green area, at the park, which was discovered in the course of our monitoring exercise in parts of the city, and after serving them relevant notices, we removed the illegal structures”, he said.