By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration ,FCTA, Department of Development Control has pulled down a storey mall under construction at Sabon Lugbe and marked British Springhall School in Maitama over breach of land use.
The Director Department of Development Control, Murktar Galadima after the exercise on Tuesday, told Journalists that the action followed incessant cases of land use conversion by property owners.
He said, “The pulling down of structures and marking of others is because of cases of land use conversion, whereby property owners are converting their premises to other use than the designated land use, that is why we have gone round to give them notice to revert within 48 hours” he said.
The Director decried the situation whereby most developers changed their land use after obtaining the approval without consulting the department.
Galadima explained that property owners and developers especially in choice areas used holiday periods when officials of the development control are on break to build structures against the approved plan.
He said most of the buildings were built during the period of coronavirus , COVID-19, lockdown.
On why some structures are raised in strategic places without approval, he said the owners only change the use, not the structure.
“The property owners didn’t change the structure, they only convert to another use than the approved one without our approval, and is against the master plan”
He said the department would stop at nothing to ensure that the structures marked especially the British Springhall School revert to original use else it will be sealed.
“All the places that we have marked, we have given them 48 hours to revert or it will be sealed”.
Galadima said those who have breached the land use will find it tough as the department would not sleep over it till the needful is done.
The places asked to revert to approved use by the department include Kim’s on plot 17 B and 18 B Colorado crescent with British Springhall School on number 35 Danube street and 2 others, all in Maitama District.
