The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has recanted its earlier position that it was planning to demolish the official residences of the Senate President and the Speaker, House of Representatives.
Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, Eng. Ahmed Hadi, made the denial on Tuesday in Abuja when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating Abuja’s real estate sector.
Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council AMMC, Umar Shuaibu had in his presentation to the committee on Monday hinted of plans to demolish the buildings for violating the city’s master plan.
He had said: “There are so many buildings and structures that do not conform with our Master Plan.
“These structures and buildings are everywhere. There are some in the Three Arms Zone.
“The official residences of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, don’t conform with our Master Plan. They are located within the Three Arms Zone.
“We have written to notify them of the violation of the Abuja Master Plan. We are waiting to move in soon. They have been duly notified by us.”
However, the FCDA which controls the infrastructure and physical expansion of the territory has insisted that the official residences of the President of Senate and the Speaker did not in anyway contravene the Abuja Master plan.
According to Engr. Hadi, due diligence had been done in every bit of the processes leading to the erection of the structures.
“We want to use this forum to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly, that there was no any intention to raise the issue or embarrass the offices of the President of Senate nor the Speaker or the Deputy Senate President.
“The issue is not a conclusive position and we have not reached a climax of forum. We really take exception to that news making the rounds.
“That is not the position of the FCTA and certainly not the position of this investigative workshop.
“I am not mincing words to say that everything that we agree here, we will crosscheck with our records,” he stated.
Hadi added that developments within the three arms zone were intended to house the Legislature, Executive and the Judiciary.
He explained that on the side of the executive, the Presidential Complex was developed which is both residential and office complex side-by-side with the residence of the Vice President which are all master plan provisions.
“On the side of the Judiciary is the Supreme Court and the official residence of the Chief Justice of the Federation.
“Somewhere along the line, the legislative arm which occupies the largest complex has no provision for the residences of the presiding or principal officers.
“And this was the case in until 2014 when there were ample correspondences between the FCDA and the Department of Development Control.
“After due consultations with the leadership of the National Assembly that this was what is needed to have residential provision within the three arms zone, so that it will become complimentary,” he added.
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