By Chuks Ehirim
Assistant Editor, North
A former FCT minister is alleged to have tampered with the Abuja Master Plan to approve an area designated for gardens and parks for a residential building.
He allotted part of the hectares of Peka Park and Garden to one Abdulahi Dangama for a residential building.
The allocation paper to Dangama is titled “Re: Application for statutory right of occupancy within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”
It said: “Please refer to the above subject matter and the approval of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory to allocate to you Plot No.91 within Dutse (CGSS) Layout District for which approval was conveyed to you by Right of Occupancy No. MFCT/LA/NG. 2566 and which has been withdrawn for overriding public interest.
“In its place, Plot No. 2429 within Wuse A2 District measuring approximately 1,500 square metres is now reallocated to you in replacement.”
This plot of land is in Peka Park Garden owned by Obike Industies with plot No. 1353 Cadastral Zone A02 Wuse Zone 3.
The approval was signed on behalf of the former minister by the Director of Land, Planning and Survey, M.S.U. Kalgo.
Also, the Department of Development Control and Department of Parks and Recreation allegedly circumvented the original approval given to Obike Industries.
Obike Industries, operators of Peka Park and Garden, was allotted 4.05 hectares of green area in Wuse Zone 3 in 2004 and it was re-certified in 2007.
However, in July 2007, the director of parks and recreation allocated part of the land to YAE International without revocation of the first allotment.
The Director of Parks and Recreation, Roland Ologun, who has allegedly allocated portions of the land to other persons without revocation of the previous allocation, declined to speak when TheNiche contacted him.
He said he can only speak when he has the permission of the FCT permanent secretary to do so.
The counsel to Obike Industries has petitioned the National Assembly (NASS) and the committees with oversight functions of the FCT.
Petitions have also been sent to the chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the inspector general of police on the activities of the Development Control Park and Recreation, and Magaji Galadima of Development Control.
Obike Industries claim to pay N479,000 as rent for the land.
