By Eunice Orike
Minister of the federal capital territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has warned investors and developers that the FCT Administration will reclaim any land allocated for projects if agreed development timelines are not met.
Wike gave the warning on Thursday during the launch of the Abuja City Walk project in Abuja, declaring that the era of holding on to government land without meaningful development is over.
He said every investor partnering with the FCT Administration must adhere to agreed project milestones, stressing that the government would not tolerate unnecessary delays.
“We agreed on specific milestones, If those targets are not achieved within the agreed period, we will take back our land, I am not interested in theories, I am interested in results,” he said.
The minister explained that the partnership with the developers was backed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) containing clear timelines and milestones for every stage of the project.
He said the agreement makes it possible for the FCT Administration to monitor progress and reclaim the land if the developers fail to fulfil their obligations.
Wike disclosed that the project was facilitated through the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Emem Usoro, who introduced the development partners to the FCT Administration.
He said the project site, originally designated as the Abuja Technology Village more than 30 years ago, had remained undeveloped, while parts of it were allegedly taken over by land grabbers, some of whom forged ownership documents.
According to the minister, the FCT Administration reclaimed the land to restore its original purpose of attracting investment, creating jobs and driving economic growth.
He said the administration also removed bureaucratic bottlenecks that often discourage investors by setting up a committee comprising key officials responsible for land administration, development control, physical planning and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), to fast-track approvals for the project.
The arrangement, he said, enabled the developers to obtain building approvals within two days instead of waiting for several months.
Wike added that the administration also fulfilled its commitment by constructing access roads to the site through CGC, creating the enabling environment needed for the project to commence.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded so far and reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s commitment to supporting genuine investors.
