FCTA approves 1,697 development permits

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved 1,697 building permit applications out of 1,870 submissions made by developers within the year 2017 to 2019.

Those given approval represent about 90 percent of the total request, which cover, residential, commercial buildings, recreational development, government offices and telecommunication masts among others.

Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the council in the last two years.

He said the approvals are estimated to have impacted positively on the economy through creation of about 4,060 jobs in the city across all professions especially in the built industry.

Shuaibu noted that in its efforts to ensure compliance with the Abuja Master Plan, the AMMC engaged in removal of developments without approval and shanties, which are defacing the Federal Capital Territory.

‘’Within the period under review, a total of 327 illegal development/shanties were removed in the city, the removal served as deterrent to developers who intend to build without approval’’.

He disclosed that the agency has commenced installation of Closed Circuit Television cameras in 67 identified black spots where criminals freely operate in the metropolis.

“Security responsibility rests on various security agencies in the country, but in this case, we are working with the agencies to ensure lives and properties are safe in the territory. The 67 identified spots where crimes of kidnappings, theft, rape and armed robbery are been carried out on a daily basis are now to be given special attention. We have acquired CCT cameras to assist the security personnel to crackdown these criminals”, he said.