The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday demolished shanties, pubs and other illegal structures in designated Parks and Gardens in Wuse Zone 6 area of Abuja, in continuation of its efforts to mitigate abuse of such places.
A team drawn from relevant departments and agencies under the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) raided and destroyed illegal structures within Surich Park, and two other Parks in Wuse Zone 6, for operating without approval or outside the land Use Act.
It was observed that the FCTA officials, accompanied by security personnel drawn from various agencies carried out the demolition exercise, after the operators or occupiers of the affected structures were allowed to remove their wares from the Parks.
It would be recalled that about two weeks ago, the AMMC officials went round identifying infraction within Parks.
Speaking during the exercise, Director, Development Control Department, Murktar Galadima, noted that it was a follow up to its ongoing sensitisation campaign and enforcement of development standard.
He said, “This administration has been up and doing in regards to implementation of our standard. I’ll like to caution them (operators of parks) not to deal with anybody not officially assigned to do that responsibility, because sometimes some touts will claim that they are working for the constituted authorities whereas it is not true. However, if any of our officials is found wanting, we are going to apply the civil service rules.”
Director, FCT Parks and Recreation Department, Ali Ukele, said the affected parks were not designed for recreational purposes but supposed to be developed for basic Park form, which entails that they should have green and park benches.
Ukele said, “We are not supposed to have buildings in them. So, that is the infraction observed.
“There are some park operators that have approved allocations. But, a lot of them do not have. So, if you don’t have and you are operating illegally, this operation will also catch up with you.
“We have shanties where people are sleeping within the parks, and you can see all sorts of things in the Parks. There are laundry services, and all sort of shanty-related activities. So, we cannot allow the trend to continue.
“Also, there are security threats, because people sleep in Parks, and we have complaints from residents that people come from parks and then rob or disturb them in the night, then disappear into the parks.”
