By Abdullahi Muhammad
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has ordered the immediate suspension of all site clearance, engineering works and other activities in Katampe Extension of the Federal Capital City (FCC), over the distortion of Abuja Masterplan.
Bello gave the directives, Tuesday, due to proliferation of illegal quarry and estate development, allegedly causing serious environmental challenges in the area, which is against the principles guiding the development of the city.
Making this disclosure during a routine monitoring exercise, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) Umar Shuaibu said it was discovered that all the ongoing development in the area had no approval to anybody to commence development there.
Shuaibu warned that anyone that is caught carrying out earth works and other nefarious activities, will be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
The AMMC boss, who was accompanied by the representative of all the relevant departments and agencies in the development of the city, including the Police that provided security cover to the officials at the site, said the activities are going to be subjected to scrutiny by the relevant professionals.
“The FCT Minister has directed that all development in that area must be suspended henceforth. He also directed all matters relating to quarry activities should be channeled to the newly established Department of Solid mineral and allied matters, which is the regulatory authority.
“So, from now, we have stopped whatever activity that is taking place here for any type of development, as whatever development that is going on here is illegal, because we have not given approval to anybody to commence development here.
“And that is why we are having environmental challenges. People are blasting rocks here, thereby endangering the houses around, so there is no way we can allow it to continue.
“Whatever development that involves rock blasting, must go through the Solid mineral and Allied matters Department, which is created to take care of that now.
“And anybody that is blasting rocks and clearing land here is doing so illegally, and anyone that is caught in the act will be arrested”, he stressed