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From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) made a U-turn on Tuesday over plans to demolish the official residences of the presiding officers of the National Assembly.
The Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, on Monday, claimed that plans were underway to demolish the said structures.
Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Ahmed Hadi, made this known when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the real estate sector in the FCT.
Hadi insisted that the official residences of the President of Senate and the Speaker didn’t in any way contravene Abuja Master Plan.
He also said that due diligence had been done in every bit of the process for the construction of the structures.
“We want to use this forum to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly that there was no any intention to raise the issue or embarrass the offices of the President of Senate nor the Speaker or the Deputy Senate President,” he said.
“The issue is not a conclusive position and we have not reached a climax of the forum. We really take exception to that news making the rounds.
“That is not the position of the FCTA and certainly not the position of this investigative workshop. I’m not mincing word to say that everything that we agree here we will crosscheck with our records has been done.”
He said the development within the three arms zone was intended to house the legislature, executive and judiciary.
He added that on the side of the executive, the presidential complex was developed which was supposed to be a residential and office complex side by side with the residence of the Vice President which is part of the master plan provision.
“On the side of the judiciary is the Supreme Court and the official residence of the Chief Justice of the Federation.
“Somewhere along the line, the legislative arm which occupies the largest complex has no provision of the residences of the presiding or principal officers.
“This was what makes case between the period 2014 there were armful correspondences between the FCDA and the department of Development Control and after due consultation with the leadership of the national assembly that this was what is needed to have residential provision within the three arms zone so that it will become complimentary.”
