By Felix Khanoba
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Mohammed Musa Bello, has promised to do everything possible to help University of Abuja (UniAbuja) recover its swathe of land from encroachers.
Bello made the promise when the management of the University paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.
He said since the FCT had set up a small technical team to frontally confront the challenges of encroachment in the University, his administration would now work out achievable goals to carry out the assignment.
“We had before now marked some points for demolition, what we will do now is to revisit them, work with relevant departments and units including town planning and carry out the exercise in line with the Abuja Master Plan,” a statement made available to The AUTHORITY by UniAbuja’s spokesman, Dr Habib Yakoob, quoted the minister to have said.
Bello, who said he would soon pay a visit to the University to physically assess the structures and developments on the campuses, said the institution and his Ministry had a long standing relationship, which if resuscitated would be mutually beneficial to the two parties.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, said he was at the Minister’s office to solicit for cooperation to end the encroachment on the University land.
He said, “We need assistance with the Development Control to demolish all illegal structures already marked for demolition without action. We need the cooperation of the Honourable Minister to reclaim the other University land from further encroachment by whatever way the Ministry might assist, including resettlement of legitimate and yet to be resettled natives.
“As the University intends to embark on zero –tolerant illegal settlement campaign, we solicit for the cooperation and understanding of the federal capital territory, the development control and the FCT Police Command in ensuring a hitch-free exercise.”
The VC also conveyed other needs of the University to the minister, especially the need for the rehabilitation of the road and drainage networks in Giri staff quarters and Main campus as well as provision of street lights.
