Resettlement: Natives urge FCDA to implement NASS resolution

Stories by Baba Yusuf
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) original inhabitants have called on the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to implement the resolution issued by the National Assembly (NASS) on their resettlement and compensation matters.
The group made this known through one of its leaders, the Sardauna Maitama, Mr. Musa Diko, at a press conference in Abuja at the weekend. Diko said that the call became important following the consideration of the report of the House committee on public petitions on the petition by the original inhabitants of Maitama, Sabo, Maitama Tsoho, Kukwaba, Tatampe and Nyikuru communities against the FCDA on their resettlement problem.
According to him, NASS has advised the FCDA to consider issuing part of the developed areas to the inhabitants as part of their compensation to enable them benefit from the high value of lands that originally belonged to them as is the practice in most other parts of the country.
He further explained that FCDA had been urged to urgently issue out certificates of occupancy over the resettlement houses already allocated, adding that they should also embark on urban renewal programmes in the settlement areas to provide infrastructure, such as roads, schools, etc, for the resettled people.
The group urged the FCDA, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council to obey the directive to build skill acquisition centre and also acquire land for agricultural extension services to replace the lands earlier reallocated by the two councils. Speaking in the same vein, the District Head of Maitama, Mr Yerima Bulus, commended NASS and advised the people to be law abiding while  awaiting the reply from the FCDA.