EXCEPT urgent steps are taken to facilitate resettlement of indigenous population to curb menace of illegal sale and, or speculation of land by the traditional land owing families, Nigeria's administrative hub, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) may soon become a slum, capable of promoting social and security risk.But to avert the perceived anomaly, professionals last week called on the Federal Government to as a matter of necessity undertake a total overhaul of Abuja Master Plan, saying the feat is long overdue.They spoke at a day Summit and Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme held at Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre Abuja jointly organised by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV)'s Faculty of Land Administration & Informa-tion Systems, and Abuja Branch.Though, the professionals' call was for the Federal Government to ensure the original city plan of Abuja, which they said is already being defeated is restored, they all lamented that growth and development in Nigerian urban areas had been generally unplanned and haphazard, adding the unfortunate scenario could be attributed to the failure of government to provide basic infrastructure, plan for imminent growth and expansion, implement development plans conscientiously, and enforce development control, the result of which is having much effect on the Abuja settlements.According to them the growth and development of Abuja city has evidently not been in conformity with the city's Master Plan. Numerous cases of violations and distortions of the Master Plan abound in the city and its surrounding regions, potent to distort the city's sustainable development.Abuja ' the seat of the Federal government is a planned modern city located near the center of the Federal capital Territory (FCT), and is approximately 360 meters above sea level. The FCT is a component of the 36 states and one territory that makes up the Federal Republic of Nigeria's administrative system. About 845 villages were displaced to make way for the FCT.The FCT occupies a landmass of 8,000 square-kilometer and bounded by Niger, Kaduna, Plateau and Kwara states. This vast area was to allow room not just for the capital city but also for a city region that will provide most of the needs of the city, including water, forestry, industrial, agricultural, open spaces, defense, air transport and other needs.As stated in the Abuja Master Plan, 1978, the Federal Capital City was planned to cover an area of about 250 square kilometers, while the rest of the Territory of the city region covers about 7,750square kilometers.The city's phase one districts are: Abuja Central, which is the city's principal business zone and includes the National Assembly and other government-related offices, Garki, Wuse, Maitama, which is exclusive and is the location of European embassies, and Asokoro. Phase two districts are: Kado, Durumi, Gudu, Utako and Jabi. Phase three districts are: Mabuchi, Katampe, Wuye and Gwarimpa. There are also five suburban districts, which are Nyanya, Karu, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, and Jukwoyi.Along the airport road are clusters of satellite settlements: Lugbe, Chika, Kuchigworo and Pyakassa. Other satellite settlements are Idu (The Main Industrial Zone), Mpape, Karimu, Gwagwa, Dei-Dei (housing the International Livestock market and also International Building materials market. Abuja has parks and green areas, with the largest being Millennium Park, which was designed by renowned architect Manfredi Nicoletti and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of England.According to Mr. Yahaya Yusuf, a Director in the Development Control Department, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, the city concept of Abuja was lofty but the process towards delivery the dreamed city is already being flawed due to series of increasing challenges confronting the Master Plan.Some of these include: the rate of development and the city expansion; proliferation of squatter settlement; staff harassment and intimidation by defaulting developers; lingering resettlement of indigenous population whose consequences is the generation slums and illegal squatters with associated security and social risks.Others are indiscriminate creation of cemetery within indigenous settlements especially in areas already planned and allocated; inadequate office accommodation; insufficient operational equipment (vehicles and earth moving machines); inadequate attention to capacity building for staff; non-review of the Master plan to accommodate tolerable existing situations and provision of services that are obviously lacking in the city.Also listed as challenges are inadequate sensitization of the public on their responsibilities as spelt out by law; creation of illegal layouts by area councils, title forgery and uncoordinated re-design existing land use provision by AGIS and multiplicity of litigations.Yusuf, a Town Planner, said the situation could be remedied if the government facilitates early completion of the review process of the Abuja Master Plan and FCT Regional Development plans and the provision of infrastructural facilities and services through the PPP strategiesH also said there is need to facilitate provision and supply of office accommodation, operational and earth moving equipment to enhance performance, training and retraining of officers to be prepared for challenges of modern and advanced technologies and establishment of database and library for the department to make easy access to reference materials and records.NIESV's Chairman, Faculty of Land Administration and Information Systems Mr. Victor Adekunle Alonge, speaking on 'Urbanization and the challenges of Master Plan: The Abuja City Experience', said Abuja city development and growth would be considered sustainable only when an integrated city that meets the needs of every city dweller and at the same time maintain the vitality and viability of the natural environment is realized.According to him, Abuja is clearly growing faster than the provisions of its master plan, and this rapidgrowth and development had been attained by means of serious abuse of and clear distortion of the city's Master Plan. 'Urbanization of Abuja city has come with serious environmental consequences resulting from the socioeconomic and other related activities of the city's inhabitants including slum development, illegal structures, traffic hold ups, sewage and drainage problems' among others.In his view on Land Titling and Registration: An Assessment Of The Housing Development schemes, Mr. Nwagbo C. Ndukauba, said 'The Land Use Act provides for land titling and the land instrument registration laws provide for registration of title deeds to land, the housing units under the various models of housing schemes are not an exception. Land titling and registration give identity not only to the land but also to the person who has the statutory right of occupancy to the land.'They ease the hurdles of land transaction that often lead to protracted cases like the Oshodi land case that lasted for 35 years in various Courts in Nigeria before a final decision was reached.
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