Metro
FCTA Vows to Prosecute Land Racketeers
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to prosecute anyone caught selling unauthorised lands within the territory to unsuspecting Nigerians.
The Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Council (AMMC), Malam Umar Shuaibu, made this known while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that the council frowns at situations where those given temporary allocation sell the lands, especially, green areas.
He explained that areas reserved for future infrastructure such as road and transit ways should never be sold by unauthorised persons.
According to him, some people are given allocation on temporary basis because there are some areas that are reserved for future infrastructure.
” Some people see these areas as if they are vacant and we have forgotten about them. No, that’s not the case. We are reserving these areas because in the future, we are going to have transit ways, railway corridors, expressway and arterial road in all these places.
” The plan of Abuja is not yet concluded. There are so many roads that are not yet on the ground. So the reservations are there.
” What we do in order to engage people is that we give people on a temporary basis so that they can beautify this areas rather than allow it to become bushes but unfortunately, they are misusing this opportunity.
” Some of them constitute some sort of cartel, sharing this land and selling it as if they own it.
” We’re gathering evidences, and anybody that we catch must definitely be prosecuted on this matter, according to our extant rules and regulations.
” They are illegal activities. You don’t have right to sell this type of property. They are government properties and that is why park and recreation is now the custodian of this parks. It’s not for any commercial activities, but for beautification.”
He disclosed that the department of Parks and Recreation in the FCT had been mandated to take possession of such land, secure them and ensure the development of the city’s Green Areas.
Shuaibu said that the FCT Administration had agreed to partner stakeholders to improve the aesthetics of the Abuja Airport expressway by landscaping.
The stakeholders are also to maintain the frontage of their properties to compliment the major gateway to the Federal Capital city.
“I am please to inform you all that today we are fully ready for the ground breaking ceremony and inauguration of the landscaping and beautification of the Umar Musa Yar’adua Express Way through to Bill Clinton Drive scheduled to hold on the 22nd of March, 2022 at River Park Estate.
“Furthermore, the Council in collaboration with the Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) have given the Stakeholders a go ahead to place signage on their frontage after carrying out the exercise.
” This signage is to be placed in conformity with the set guidelines by DOAS.”
He solicited media support in educating the public especially property owners along the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Express Way through to Bill Clinton Drive, that the AMMC is embarking on an intensive clean –up of the Abuja Airport Express Way.
“Therefore, all street hawkers, beggars, commercial sex workers, unapproved parks, gas sellers, kiosks, artisans, motor spare part dealers, car marts, Okada riders, and other related artisans are warned to stay off the Airport Express Way.
” Or risk being arrested and prosecuted under the relevant sections of the Laws of the Federation.”
He said that the Senior Special Assistant on Enforcement to the Minister of FCT has been assigned to remove all the existing nuisance and encumbrances along the Airport Road starting from Wednesday.
This, according to him, will enable stakeholders carry out the exercise without any hinge or obstacle.(NAN)
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.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
The National Boundary Commission (NBC), says it has concluded plans to provide infrastructure in flash locations along interstate boundaries to encourage integration and cooperation.
The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday.
Adaji said that the commission would look at flash point areas and provide infrastructures that would encourage cooperation and integration among border communities.
He said that the goal was to see how the commission could bring people in border communities together to share from a common facility.
This, according to him, will douse tension and bring some kind of understanding among border communities.
“The bounder communities will share the facilities, which in the long run will bring the people together and eventually reduce tension and boundary conflicts.
“This is a way of encouraging integration and cooperation by encouraging people to come together, relate with one another and engage in beneficial commercial activities.”
Adaji said that a similar initiative was test runed with a borehole, constructed boundary corridor in Ado Local Government Area of Benue state, where it shared boundary with Ebonyi.
“We have also been able to construct some market stalls in the Ebonyi sector of the boundary between Ebonyi and Cross River,” he added.
“So, our appeal is for people to appreciate, cooperate and understand that boundaries are not barriers.
“The boundary line will not stop somebody from owning properties across and that is what we want to partner with the states to educate people along by the boundary corridors. (NAN)
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