Wike reviews land swap initiative, investigates sales of federal houses

By Philip Yatai
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has taken steps to review the Abuja land swap initiative and investigate the sale of federal government houses in the FCT.

Wike disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, when he asked the Task Force on the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for mass housing to review the initiative.

The minister also asked the task force to ascertain the sales of federal government houses in the federal capital, Abuja, and present the current position of things.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the minister had on Nov.

14, inaugurated a Task Force on the issuance of C of O for mass housing and the recovery of land use contravention fees.

The minister, who asked the task force to conclude the assignment within one month, extended the completion period to two months considering the additional tasks.

The land swap initiative means engaging the private sector to provide infrastructure in exchange for land.

The goal is essentially to open up new districts in the FCT by constructing and completing access roads to the districts.

Wike said that stakeholders have raised a lot of concerns about the initiative, stressing the need to review it.

He directed the task force to review the agreements and other documents with relevant information about the initiative.

“We want to get details of the land swap initiative and the sale of federal government houses in the Federal Capital Territory.

“There are so many complaints that some houses are abandoned, while some are sold.

“Let us know the houses that were sold and where are the documents? Let them show us the receipt of payments.

“Not only the federal government houses but also the houses built and abandoned in the city.

“With the additional responsibility, the task force will now last for two months instead of the one month earlier given,” Wike said.

The task force is chaired by Mr Michael Chinda, Senior Special Assistant to Wike on Lands, Urban and Regional Planning, with the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Mr Shehu Ahmad, as the Secretary.

Other members of the taskforce include the Director, Department of Development Control; Director, Department of Land Administration; and the Director, Department of Surveying and Mapping.

Others are the Director, Department of Mass Housing; Director of AGIS, and Director, Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola