FCT RESETTLES ABUJA INDIGENES, HANDS OVER KEYS OF 744 HOUSES

The solution to the problem of resettling the displaced native population of Garki, Apo and Akpanjenya areas of the Federal Capital Territory took a positive step forward on Tuesday when the Minister of State, Chief Chuka Odom, handed over keys to 744 houses to beneficiaries.

These are part of the 856 houses planned for the resettlement area. The people of this area were displaced to make way for the FCT and the delay in resettling them had almost become a flash point between the past administrations of the Capital Territory and the people.

Issuing the keys and letters of allocation to the indigenes at an emotion laden ceremony at the resettlement site at Apo, Chief Odom recalled that the “movement to the site started three years ago with the commencement of the construction of various categories of resettlement houses ranging from one to three bedroom houses.” Continuing, he said “with the construction and completion of 744 houses, the project has reached 87 percent completion.”

According to him, ‘112 housing units in the same area were at various stages of completion. This was even as he said, “other infrastructural facilities like water and electricity have been provided to ensure that the resettlement town is habitable.”

The minister further said amenities like clinic, police post, schools and health centre have been completed to ensure full functionalities of the town.
Odom affirmed that the overall intention was to ensure that resettlement “is humanely pursued in such a manner that it does not translate into displacement but an opportunity to improve the standard of living of all original inhabitants within these villages.”

He explained that it was for this reason that the houses were better in quality than the mud and substandard huts that were in place.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo, commended the FCT administration for its steadfastness in the execution of the project.

Kharis, May, 2009
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My land at Apo happens to be among those confiscated and used by FCDA to develop those bungalow for natives. Do you have any idea when FCDA will be allocating us with another land.

Ank