Land owners of illegal scrap market site risk revocation

FAVOUR ISHEMBER, Abuja 

Authority of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned owners of plots of land at the Apo-Dutse Pantaker site, an illegal erected scrap market to develop their plots  in one month or risk revocation .

The Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, lamented that after the administration spent the State’s resources to clean up the market, most of the plot owners at the site are yet to take possession of their plots.

According to the Attah, about 150 illegal shanties and shops were removed on Monday.

In his words:” We returned back to Apo-Dutse Pantaker market after spending several days to remove the illegalities on plots of land and we returned back for a mop-up exercise, but somehow we are not too pleased that most of the allottees have not taken over their land.

“The Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, is very bitter and unhappy because most of the allottees have not taken over their land and he is spending State resources to do the clean-up exercise in terms of buying diesel and paying personnel allowances, servicing the machines, etc.

“What we are hearing is that some of the allottees are speculating with their land and this cannot continue and is unacceptable.

“People who have gotten land in this place and are waiting for us to clear it should immediately report to Development Control within the next one month.

“Not just fencing the land but also getting building plan approval and building on it.

“They should not leave the land vacant for too long; people are going to go in here.

“We will be recommending to the FCT Minister and pleading with him that if in the next one month we do not see meaningful development in terms of fencing and ground-breaking for structures, the Minister should revoke the land because the Minister is spending huge amount of State resources to clean up. And those who have properties are not taking over it.

“The only way you can get them to move out of here is for the plot owners to take over their plots and start development.

“As long as the plot owners are speculating, then pantaker and miscreants will take over their plots,”  Attah said.

On allocation of an alternative land to the Association of Scrap Dealers, Apo-Dutse Pantaker Market, he said  the Minister is considering it and, therefore, urged them to be patient.

The Chairman, Association of Scrap Dealers, Apo-Dutse Pantaker Market, Anas Ismail, while fielding questions from journalists, said his people are not regrouping, but rather relocating.

He said they have already written to the Minister, pleading for more time to enable them to pack their things.

Also speaking, the Secretary General, Apo Dutse Pantaker Market, Bala Haruna, agreed with the Chairman explaining that they are dealing with so many things, which include cars, among other things, and so would require some more time.

He also appealed to the Minister to consider their request of allocating land to do their business, as there are over 10,000 scrap dealers in the market

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