The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, says his administration has recovered 7,000 hectares of land out of the 11,000 hectares originally acquired by the University of Abuja.
Wike stated this at the commissioning of the newly constructed access roads in the Giri District of Abuja.
He expressed concern over what he described as “land grabbing” by the university, accusing it of fencing off large swathes of land without proper approval or documentation.
“The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares. I said that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land,” Wike stated.
The minister directed the Director of Lands and other relevant FCTA agencies to allocate only 4,000 hectares to the university, while the remaining land will be reallocated for planned development within the district.While assuring residents and stakeholders that the FCT Administration was committed to infrastructural development in Giri and surrounding areas, he announced that internal road construction within the district would commence soon, with plans already underway by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
“Having created this access road, we have told the Executive Secretary of FCDA and other relevant agencies to start working on details of how we are going to do the roads within the district. So, be assured that maybe next one year, it will be a different thing,” he said.
He further hinted at a potential collaboration with the National Assembly in setting up institutions in the district, pledging FCTA’s support for land provision to fast-track the process.
The EFCC Academy, one of the major institutions in the area, is expected to commence operations immediately following the completion of the road, which now provides easy access for equipment mobilization and structural development.
“They will start the academy immediately because now they have access roads that they can move in their equipment and develop this. And when this comes, you see that other people will also move in and develop their own area,” he said.
Highlighting the challenge of infrastructure scarcity discouraging land development, Wike pledged to provide essential amenities such as roads, water, and electricity to attract investors and improve the living conditions in the district.
“Most of the problems we’re having here is that sometimes when you allocate land, there are no facilities, no infrastructure, and people are not encouraged. So, we will do everything we can to see that basic infrastructure is being provided,” he said. (Daily Trust)