By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned owners of plots in Apo-Dutse pantaker site to commence development or risk revocation of their plots.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah stated this on Monday when the demolition team revisited the area.
According to him, “We return to Apo-Dutse pantaker market after spending several days to remove the illegalities on plots of land, we are back for a mop up exercise but somehow we are not too please that most of the plot owners have not taken over their land.
“The Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Bello, is very bitter and unhappy, because most of the allottees have not taken over their land m, and he is spending state resources to do the cleanup exercise in terms of buying diesel and paying personnel allowances, servicing the machines etc. What we are hearing is that some of the allottees are speculating with their land and this cannot continue and is unacceptable.
“People who have gotten land in this place and are waiting for us to clear it should immediately report to Development Control,within the next one month. Not just fencing the land but also getting building plan approval and building on it.
“They should not leave the land vacant for too long, people are going to go in here, we will be recommending to the FCT Minister and pleading with him that if in the next one month we do not see meaningful development in terms of fencing and ground breaking for structures, we will take stringent measures.
“The only way you can get them to move out of here is for the plot owners to take over their plots and start development. As long as the plot owners are speculating then pantaker and miscreants will take over their plots”.
On allocation of alternative place to the Association of scrap dealer, Apo-Dutse pantaker market, he noted that the Minister is considering it and they should be patient.
But he warned them against operating with babanbola because it paint them in bad light.
The chairman Association of scrap dealer, Apo-Dutse pantaker market, Anas Ismail, while fielding questions from journalists, said his people are not regrouping rather they are packing their things.
He said they have already written to the Minister to please give them more time to pack their things.
