President Umaru Yar’Adua has revoked 38 plots of land allocated to himself and other former governors and ministers in the posh Asokoro district of Abuja by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said the allocations violated the Abuja Master Plan.
The decision came at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday – which Yar’Adua chaired – based on the confirmation that the entire tract of land was earmarked as a green area, not for residential purposes.
Information Minister, John Odey, and Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), John Akpanudoedehe, told reporters after the meeting that Yar’Adua was given his plot when he was Katsina State Governor, even though he never asked for it.
Each plot is valued at about N100 million.
The other beneficiaries were companies owned by unnamed politicians: Headway Engineering, Homer Properties Nigeria, Vodax, BAJ Holdings, and Dagazu International.
Said Odey: "Council today ratified the approval given by Mr. President of the revocation of the titles of plots within the vicinity of the Pendan Dam located behind the Aso Villa for over riding public interests. Council decided that the 38 plots cancelled, which included the plot for Mr. President himself, which he acquired when he was a Governor, is reverted to its original use, which is supposed to be reserved as a green area."
Akpanudoedehe clarified that "what happened was that the people did not request but were given the plots by the last administration. Mr. President was given the plot, not that he requested for it when he was the Governor.
"The FCT administration then distributed the plots to the former governors, and some personalities in the society. The important thing is that at least (Yar’Adua), who you know is a law abiding citizen and promoter of the rule of law, in sticking to the principle of the rule of law – and in keeping faith with the master plan that those designated as green areas be retained as green areas."
Structures on the plots will be demolished, with compensation paid for such.
The FEC also dissolved the Western Ports and Harbour Authority as well as Delta Ports and Harbour Authority created by the Obasanjo administration to replace the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
It said the new creations are not in line with the NPA Act.
Transport Minister, Diezani Madueke, explained that "Council has approved that the (NPA) reverts to its status quo as a single autonomous authority, in line with the (NPA) Act of 1954 as amended in 1999.
"This will mean that the two new ports created in May this year – the Western Ports and Harbours Authority, and the Nigeria Delta Ports and Harbours Authority – will be dissolved, and the NPA will revert to the status quo, as directed by the ministry of justice, and also as observed by the House of Representatives."
The FEC ratified the cancellation of the N26.1 billion contract for the construction of the FCT secretariat, awarded to Julius Berger in May. This is because of difficulties in funding the project.
It approved N371.87 million to upgrade facilities at Maitama Secondary School in Abuja, which was allocated to the military in February; and another N167 million for the same purpose at Government Secondary School, as well as a pilot primary school; both in Abaji in the FCT.
The FEC asked ministries to create special budgets for combating HIV/AIDS through response and intervention measures they are to scale up.
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