FCTA to revoke undeveloped plots, receives 7,826 applications

– Begins demolition of 800 shanties

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has received 7,826 fresh applications for plots of land in Abuja this year.

A breakdown of the applications shows that 4,901 applicants are for private residential plots, commercial (2,120); resettlement (431), Area Council (373) and one diplomatic plot.

The Director, Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), Dr. Isa Ibrahim Jalo made the disclosure to journalists in Abuja, remarked that AGIS positively contributed to the success the government recorded in its upward movement on the Ease of Doing Business on the 2019 World Bank index.

According to him, “In line with the aspirations of the Federal Government on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) has repositioned its Customer Service to make it more responsive and people result-oriented”.

“In consonance with this narrative, AGIS has re-modernized its website by making it interactive with the deployment of online customer complaint and feedback mechanism. This innovation allows the general public to lodge complaints, which can be promptly responded to.”

The Director said it was in this spirit that “AGIS reactivated its Electronic Queue Management System which has led to the improvement of crowd management and sustained orderliness, especially during peak hours of its operations”.

He reiterated that the production and conveyance processes of the Certificates of Occupancy () Certificates of Occupancy have been re-organized to fast track its deliverance with the intention of reducing wastage of man-hour of the customers.

He noted, “AGIS has worked fervently to quicken the process of payments for services like Legal Search, Deed of Assignment, Power of Attorney, Legal Mortgage and opening of new application files among others; thereby making Legal Search be conducted within 24 hours including its report to customers”.

Contributing, the FCT Director of Land Administration, Adamu Jibrin Hussaini noted that 2019 has been a rewarding year for AGIS & Land Administration because of the level of support received as well as the unprecedented achievements recorded.

The Director revealed that the Department created and institutionalized Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to reduce the time spent to seek redress in conventional courts on the dispute over land matters.

He disclosed that the Department has successfully resolved seven cases using ADR mechanism while 20 other cases are at advanced stages of determination.

Hussaini revealed that the FCT Minister has signed and conveyed 785 Certificates of Occupancy this year, while efforts are being made to fast track the process of timely issuance of Certificates of Occupancy in tune with the SERVICOM Charter of the Federal Government and the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business.

The Director further revealed that the Department embarked on an in-house cleaning and sorted out 11,263 uncollected Cs of O stored. He thus, took advantage of this medium to call on the owners of all these uncollected certificates to come forward to claim them; stressing that these are transactable as well as mortgageable documents that shouldn’t be left in the vaults.

He further disclosed that the Department also has 6,402 Rights of Occupancy in its vaults uncollected and advised such allottees to take possession of these title documents.

“Since the coming of this Administration, the Department of Land Administration has proactively sorted out thousands of title documents including 11,263 Cs of O and 6,402 Rights of Occupancy (Rs of O) in its vault that are awaiting collection by the allottees,” Hussainin emphasized.

On the knotty issues of double allocation, the Director stated that the FCT Administration has resolved several cases of double/multiple land allocations and concrete measures have been taken to safeguard future occurrences.

He recalled that the FCT Administration has completed the designation of four brand new districts in the Federal Capital City namely Mamusa North, Mamusa East, Parfun North, and Parfun South to take care of the deficit of planned plots in Abuja.

“Accordingly, these new districts with the thousands of plots generated would go a long way to relieve pressure on outstanding applications for different development purposes in the Federal Capital Territory”, he stressed.

Hussaini used the occasion to once again call on plot owners in the serviced districts within Phases I, II & III of the Federal Capital City, Abuja, to develop them in line with the stipulated two months grace given by the FCT Administration which is expected to expire on Sunday, February 2, 2020, or have such titles revoked.

Meanwhile, FCTA has commenced the demolition of over 800 batchers and shanties within Gwarinpa area.

The exercise is to give way for the construction of N16 road. The road is an arterial network that stretches from 3rd Avenue in Gwarinpa, through Gishiri Village to NICON Junction. It is expected that when fully completed, the road would free up traffic from other roads in and out of Gwarinpa District. 

The Director, Department of Development Control for FCTA, Muktar Galadima made this disclosure at the weekend to newsmen.
Galadima said, “There are encroachments on this arterial road and we have a directive from the Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello to remove them so we need to nip them in the bud before people will begin to claim the right of ownership for.”
Galadima further revealed that his men would remove the shanties and clear the road corridor in the next three months. 

Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement in the department, Garba Kwamkur who was part of the marking exercise said that the department was given marching orders to rid the territory of illegalities hence, it was doing everything possible to keep Abuja clean in line with international best standards.