Metro
FCTA Warns Developers Against Use of Estates for Money Laundering
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has warned developers against using estate development to launder money, for criminals.
Bello stated this at the commissioning of an office complex of the Abuja Property Development Company (APDC), held on Friday in Abuja.
He also vowed to enforce planning in the establishment of estates to ensure strict adherence to the Abuja Masterplan.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell genuine investors that nobody’s property will be touched if it’s on a genuinely allocated land that has the correct papers. Nobody’s property will be touched if it was built based on Development Control approval, based on all the requirements by law that a person needs.
Whoever built and no matter how highly placed and no matter how expensive that building is, it will go down.
“Going forward also, persons will be prosecuted for the cost of the diesel and the staff and the police and where for any reason, an investor arranges with thugs and they beat our staff, we are going to charge them on criminal procedures. We want to develop the city but the city has to be developed in an organized manner, just like it is done in all parts of the world.
“We are working very closely with REDAN, we are working closely with the National Assembly and a number of properties have been identified and we are also working closely with the ICPC and the EFCC because many of those properties are bought based on ill-gotten money and they use them as means of laundering. All these will no longer be accepted.
“Also, for every property that is allowed to stand and an official somewhere has not done his or her work, we will not allow these officials as well because at the end of the day, it is the off takers that lose our because they spend money.
“And talking of off-takers, I want to advise anybody who wants to buy any property in any estate in Abuja to do proper diligence and the first place to do it, you come to the FCT, go to the relevant department and confirm that that particular Estate is genuine and then confirm that the person himself is genuine.
“We are working very closely with REDAN, we are working closely with the National Assembly and a number of properties have been identified and we are also working closely with the ICPC and the EFCC because many of those properties are bought based on ill-gotten money and they use them as means of laundering. All these will no longer be accepted,” Bello stated.
He said that all estates ordinarily should have provisions for play areas, community centres, shopping facilities, places for worship and in some areas also, depending on the size, provisions for places for educational activities.
“The reason why flooding is rampant in many areas is simply because the plan that was meant to be followed was not followed.
“And unfortunately, over the years, maybe institutional capacity to be able to enforce was reduced.
“All these are going to change because every person’s life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of living in an estate is to live in a community that is safe, serene, beautiful and peaceful.
“So that people can raise their family and children in an environment that makes them very productive as a people.
“But we cannot just create estates where every square inch is dedicated to building and that are why our enforcement activities will be enhanced.
“I am just saying this to let the public know and like they say, shine your eyes,” Bello said.
Bello advised anybody who wanted to buy any property in any estate in Abuja to do proper diligence.
“The first place to do it, you come to the FCT, go to the relevant department and confirm that that particular estate is genuine and then confirm that the person himself is genuine.
“You must probably have noticed that over the last few weeks, we have been demolishing and we will continue to demolish.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell genuine investors that nobody’s property will be touched if it’s on a genuinely allocated land that has the correct papers.
“Nobody’s property will be touched if it was built based on Development Control approval, based on all the requirements by law that a person needs.
Whoever built and no matter how highly placed and no matter how expensive that building is, it will go down,” he added.
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)
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)
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