By Angela Atabo

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday, intensified enforcement at River Park Estate, Abuja, by stopping what it described as illegal development in the estate.

He added that the exercise was to ensure total compliance with the ministerial order.

Galadima recalled that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Aug. 8, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee on the review of controversies surrounding the River Park Estate.

He said the committee, while submitting its reports to the minister, explained that the revocation of the undeveloped plots was necessitated by the expiration and breach of the Development Lease Agreement (DLA).

Galadima added that the revocation was carried out to reassert administrative control over the affected plot in line with Clause 9.2 of the DLA.

He further recalled that the committee, however, directed that holders of previous “customary titles whose plots fell within the River Park Estate boundaries and who had developed them in accordance with applicable planning and development control regulations, be permitted to retain their titles.

He said the committee’s recommendation aligned with a subsisting court judgment referenced in paragraph 16.3.

Galadima said the latest enforcement carried out by the FCTA was to ensure total compliance to the directive.

 “We are here to ensure total compliance with the ministerial directive that no development should be allowed in the River Park Estate.

“The  department had carried out similar operations at the estate but returned after receiving reports of ongoing construction despite repeated warnings.

“We got a report that there is an ongoing development.

“That is why we rushed to ensure that the development is stopped and the structure being erected should be removed,” he said.

Galadima said the department was already working with the FCT Legal Secretariat to initiate legal action against those flouting the directive.

“We are liaising with our legal secretariat to see that this action may be taken up legally so that we don’t come back again,” he explained.

He dismissed any notion that the developer was beyond government control, warning that no individual or entity is above the law.

“May be there is a perception that he can do as he pleases, but you see, nobody is above government.

“We have done the kinetic aspect; now we are taking it up legally to ensure that we don’t come back again,” Galadima stated.

He confirmed that the developer was fully aware of the stop-work directive, having been informed through the ministerial committee’s findings and wide public notices.

He said that all vacant plots would be reverted to the FCT Administration.

The director noted that the next line of action would be determined after consultations with the legal secretariat.

The FCT Administration had on two occasions in September, stopped the development of more than 30 substructure at the estate for violating planning regulations. (NAN)(wwwnannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi