Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Tuesday supervised the demolition of structures obstructing the construction of the Arterial Road N16 in Gishiri village in Katampe District, Abuja.
He advised Abuja residents against sabotaging government developmental efforts.
Briefing reporters at the site, Wike disclosed that the residents were duly served with eviction notices and clearly communicated the necessity of their cooperation with the government.
He said this was vital for the contractor, Messrs CGC, to complete the road project and hand it over by the end of May.
The minister however regretted that the residents rejected the government’s offer of compensation and pledged to facilitate their relocation, despite being granted a one-week extension as requested by the village chief, thereby impeding work on the road project.
He said the road project was in the public’s overriding interest and not a case of acquiring land for private development, warning that the FCT Administration would not tolerate the sabotage of projects of public interest.
Wike said he was personally involved in the demolition exercise to send a message that it would no longer be business as usual.
According to the FCT Minister: “We served them with the eviction notice and we told them the need for them to cooperate with the government so that the contractor, CGC will be able to complete this road and then hand it over by May ending”.
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Speaking further, the Minister said: “The traditional ruler of course pleaded with us to give them one week. The money for compensation has been made available and we did also promise that in spite of that, we will still make available somewhere they can relocate.
But with all these assurances, it did appear, from what I got in the report, that work is not going on. I informed the traditional ruler that this work has to go on and enough is enough. No government will fold its arms and allow people to sabotage a project for the interest of the public. It’s not as if anybody is coming to acquire land to build houses”.
Addressing concerns regarding the impact of the demolition on residents of the village and public perception, the Minister asserted that ample time had been provided for the residents to vacate.
He stated that the government would not halt a crucial project for the sake of a few individuals, having granted them enough time and made funds available for compensation.
He said: “enough time has been given. Are we going to say that because of a few people, the government will not do their work? No. We have given them more than two, three months. I cannot fold my hands and say let the job stop. No. we will not do that”.
Speaking further, the Minister said: “We have promised to relocate them to another area and even the money for compensation has been given, but they said they will not accept, which means the job will not go on and we will not allow that”.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to relocating the affected residents and providing compensation and advised them to cooperate with the FCT Department of Resettlement and Compensation to finalize the modalities for their relocation.
Some of the residents were seen running to salvage what they could during the demolition.