The Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), FCT chapter has criticized the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for what it described as “oppressive attitude” against the people they swore to protect and defend
In a statement by Chairman of REDAN (FCT) Mr Okoruwa Anthony Ehikioya, the association said it is saddened that developers in the FCT and the general public, especially home owners bear the brunt of every new appointment either as a director or minister in the FCTA.
He said “the issues of demolition have been on in the FCT without achieving any results. Only because common sense and good judgment have not been applied to solve the perceived problem.”
He berated the Administration for citing land grabbing as a justification for its redundant demolition exercises.
According to Ehikioya, “As much as REDAN is not in support of any form of land grabbing in the FCT and other states, it is important to state clearly that it is the fault of the government that there is land grabbing in the territory and the government have consistently encouraged land grabbing by their actions and inactions.
“In April this year, REDAN FCT submitted a proposal to the Hon. minister of the FCT that will help eliminate the issues of land grabbing and racketeering in the FCT. It is on record that no genuine or registered developer has been allocated a land after the tenure of Engr. ABBA Gana as the minister of FCT.
“The government is not interested in the well being of its citizens, and when the citizens make an attempt to cater for themselves, the government and its agents make every effort to frustrate them by injustice and oppression. The country has become a battlefield where only the fittest people who are in government or connected to the people in government survive” he lamented.
“The responsibility of any government is to ensure the prosperity of it citizens and people and not to cause pain, agony, sorrow, and poverty.
Ehikioya said “developers in the FCT are the reason why the majority of the its residents of have a roof over their heads today. The last time the government provided houses for people in this city was during the 3rd Republic, and private developers have consistently filled the gap since then.
“Every successive minister in the FCT has been acting as ministers of land. Who only come to cease lands and allocate to their friends and colleagues in government”.
He called on the government to address the menace of demolitions in the territory, and urged all REDAN members to stand up against the injustice called demolitions.
“We in REDAN FCT say no to building demolition because it is not right. You cannot use a wrong action to correct any illegality.
“Land grabbing is wrong. Building without approval is wrong, and the demolition of private property by the government is also wrong”.
There is always a civilised way of correcting wrongdoing, not just by destruction and violence.
“I call on all REDAN members in the FCT to stand up against this act of demolition of people’s property by every civilized and legal means. No Nigerian is more Nigerian than any other Nigerian. Enough is enough of this pain, sorrow, and grief caused by the government against the people by every regime and government year after year”.
“Hundreds of hectares of lands are allocated to groups and individuals who do not have the capacity and interest to develop an estate only to turn round to sell same allocation letters to genuine Developers who have no access to the corridors of power. They, in turn, sell this land to the same developer for millions and billions of naira or enter an unfavourable joint venture agreement that enslave the developers to them” he continued.
“We developers are tired of being harassed, intimidated, and being called names that rightly belong to criminals in government and high places. Developers are not land grabbers but victims of land grabbers who are in government and high places.
If the government is sincere, let us sit and talk about our common problems and how it affect the collectively, he concluded.
