Newly sworn-in Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has vowed to demolish with immediate effect, illegal structures in Abuja.
Wike stated this during a press conference in Abuja upon his assumption of office as the new minister of the capital city.
“All those who are distorting the master plan Abuja, too bad, too bad. If you know you have built where you are not supposed to build, it will down. Be you an ambassador if you know you have developed where you are not supposed to develop your house must go down.”
On the occupation of the green areas in Abuja, the immediate past Rivers governor said, “Those who have taken over the green areas to build, sorry the green areas must come back. If you are green you must hate yourself. So if you know anybody who is involved that has taken over the green areas or parks to where you now do restaurants. No, we will not accept that. If your father has done that, if your mother has done that, sorry, there is nothing I can do”
On land racketeering, the FCT minister informed Nigerians that the days of such deals are over.
“That period of land racketeering is over. Also, those who the government has given land to them, but instead of developing them, they are using it as land speculation. I am sorry the land is gone. I am going to revoke them. We will take back our lands and give them to those who want to develop. And you must sign that you must develop at a given time.”
On refusal to pay ground rent by some persons, Wike said, “Those of you who have also refused to pay your ground rent, non-payment of ground rent is a breach of covenant. I don’t need to write you to pay, you are suppose to know. You are like a tenant. At the end of the month, you are supposed to pay some amount and then you say my landlord has not written to me? No, it doesn’t make sense. Abuja needs money, too. Part of the revenue is ground rent. So if you have not paid, be it whatever, banks, big men, am sorry I will not be tired to revoke, that’s why I am here.”
In his usual manner, the immediate past governor of Rivers State also frowned at the poor waste management in the city and vowed to tackle it head-on.
“So we must also sit down to look at differently, ways of waste management or waste disposal. It is very very key,” Wike said.