AMMC takes strong stance on building regulations as Abuja developer admits wrongdoing

… Vows to demolish non-compliant structures

FAVOUR ISHEMBER,  Abuja

The Abuja Municipal Management Council (AMMC) Coordinator, Chief Felix Obuah, has led a team of city managers on a site tour in Abuja to enforce building regulations and address issues of non-compliant structures.

The tour, which was attended by directors of the Abuja Municipal Services Initiative (AMSI) and members of the press, aimed to shed light on the prevalence of unauthorized buildings and the steps being taken to address the issue.

Speaking during the tour, Chief Obuah emphasized the need for strict adherence to building regulations, stating that any structure found to be non-compliant would be demolished.

He noted that the exercise was not only aimed at enforcing regulations but also at serving as a lesson to developers who flout the rules.

The AMMC Coordinator expressed his commitment to ensuring that Abuja’s development is guided by approved standards and statutes. He also warned that officers found to be complicit in the flouting of regulations would face consequences.

The site tour was part of efforts to restore order and discipline in the city’s development, with the AMMC mobilizing equipment and materials to demolish unauthorized structures.

The exercise is expected to send a strong message to developers and officers alike, emphasizing the importance of adherence to building regulations.

“We want this to serve as a lesson to other developers who take loss into their own hands. Right today, we have mobilized equipment and materials and machines. They are right here”.

“You witness it. Most of all, those buildings that are not supposed to be, that do not have approval, will go down. And this is not the only one”

“Any other building that does not have approval, or that is built in a waterway, in a road corridor, is no longer business as usual. We make sure that we bring approval to each standard statute. And not only that, we also want to let the press and the public know that those workers, those side officers that are not doing the needful, we also show the way out”, he warned.

Chief Obuah’s stance is clear: Abuja’s development will be guided by the rule of law, and any attempts to sabotage this effort will be met with swift action. The AMMC’s commitment to enforcing building regulations is set to bring about a new era of discipline and order in the city’s development.

However, a developer in Abuja, Kadiru Obaidi, has admitted to wrongdoing and vowed to demolish non-compliant structures in his estate.

Obaidi acknowledged that there were infractions in the estate, mostly from subscribers who had built without approval. He took responsibility for the wrongdoing and pledged to work with the authorities to rectify the situation.

“We will pull down every infraction here as specified by the authority. We’ll bear the cost. We’ll take them down ourselves,” Obaidi said.

The developer appealed for a two-week period to carry out the demolition, citing the need to bring in machines and salvage materials.

However, the AMMC Coordinator questioned whether two weeks was too long, suggesting that the demolition should commence immediately.

Obaidi assured that he would work with the authorities to identify and demolish structures that encroach on waterways and other designated areas. He also pledged to maintain a good relationship with the authorities and abide by the rules.

The AMMC’s efforts to enforce building regulations in Abuja are ongoing, with the council determined to restore order and discipline in the city’s development.