Metro
FCTA Demolishes over 30 Illegal Houses at Trademore Estate
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
In order to prevent incessant flooding in Trademore Estate, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), yesterday demolished over 30 houses built on flood plains.
The FCT Minister Taskforce Team, led by Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah.
Attah, while fielding questions from newsmen at the site, revealed that over 100 houses were marked but 30 houses would be removed immediately.
“This is an ongoing removal of illegal structures on the flood plain at the Trademore estate along airport road. This estate has been a theatre of flooding.
There is usually intense flooding here and we have been engaging them for years and they have come to terms that this area is very dangerous to their lives. The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, has asked us to remove all illegal structures on the flood plain. And that is what the machine behind me is doing.“There has been excessive development on the flood plain in Trademore Estate of some persons and this is very worrisome.
“All the houses that are going down were marked and some have been marked as long as three years ago, some were marked at foundation level, window level, roofing level. The final marking was about 4 days ago. And we gave them 48 hours and even gave them additional 24 hours,” Attah said.
“For now 30 houses are going but over 100 were marked but we are still engaging critical stakeholders around there.
After removing the first 30 houses, we will engage with them to see how we can use land solution act to solve the problem.
“Like what some of them are saying that the Developer of Trademore Estate should be charged to court, they have the locus standing to take him to court.
“We are very keen in getting the structures out so that water can pass and lives are saved in the city”.
He also reiterated that the administration won’t compensate anyone because there was no building plan, no approval, no allocation on the flood plain.
“We are not going to give any compensation because there was no building approval,” he noted.
One Sadat Bankole, who has been living in that area for over 10 years, said if the demolition will save and prevent further loss of lives, then she is in support.
“What has been happening here is not palatable. Why is flooding constant in this area in the last few years? My view is that if people’s lives are involved then demolition should take place so that the place would be free from flooding.
“My first experience of flooding here was about seven years ago and then it stopped but in the last 3 years there has been constant flooding everytime it rains. When the rain starts you cannot come out and you cannot come in,” she said.
She called for the prosecution of the Developer of Trademore Estate, for flood diversion, “Yes, there is a diversion of the flood plain, I was told where the developer build houses are the roots of the water and the water was diverted.
“The person who diverted the flow of water should be asked questions and be sanctioned. The Developer must be asked questions, why is the Developer walking free? He should be prosecuted. There was a time I had to sleep outside. The bridge was just constructed. Lives were lost and it is a criminal act, he killed people. It is the innocent buyers that are suffering now”.
Ike Emmanuel, also a resident asked for the Developer to be taken to court for the criminal act.
He also urged the government to force the Developer to accept responsibility for loss of lives and selling water plain properties to Nigerians.
Metro
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Enabling Environment for Migrants
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enabling environments and adequate protection for migrants in the country.
Mr Tijjani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said this at the International Migrants Day in Abuja on Wednesday.
Report says that the theme of the celebration was “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting their Rights.
”The Commission organised a walk in commemoration of the day to sensitise Nigerians of the danger of not following the right path when leaving the country.
Ahmed highlighted the invaluable contribution of migrants to Nigeria’s development, including remittances exceeding 23 billion dollars annually, and advancements in technology and agriculture.
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a secure and supportive environment for migrants while enhancing migration governance.
“We are here today to celebrate the migrants for their technological transfer.
“We celebrate migrants because of their contributions towards the development of this country.
“We also celebrate them today in order to inform them that the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria are there for them.
“We do not forget the contribution of our migrants in the diaspora towards the development of Nigeria,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to lead migration governance globally through the “Rabat Process” in 2025, showcasing its dedication to migration management and human rights.
“Nigeria is preparing to take over the leadership of the rubber process by 2025.
“We are asking everyone within and outside this country to support Nigeria to succeed in the governance of migration internationally.
“We have at least 10,000 migrants in Nigeria and over 20,000 outside the country that are contributing towards the development of the country, ” he said. (NAN)
Metro
FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.