Residents of ECOWAS Estate, Katampe Extension, Abuja, have expressed willingness to implement the FCT Minister’s directives on the blockage of illegal access road passing through the estate to other places.
Chairman of the estate association, Dr Austin Maho, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Maho insisted that the residents have no option but to block access road passing through their estate to other estates in line with the advise of the FCT Minister.
He explained that the move was part of measures to curb insecurity, perennial theft and nuisance residents of ECOWAS Estate are daily confronted with.
He recalled that in August 2021, following a petition over illegal land allocations within the estate and the creation of an access road through the estate to other estates outside the perimeter of ECOWAS estate. the minister undertook a working visit to the estate and saw things for himself.
“The minister was able to establish illegal allocations of land on green areas, children’s play ground and walkways were made within the estate and gave orders for their suspension.
“He also saw the illegal access leading through the estate to other estates. In the words of the Minister, “if a 55- hectare estate exists without proper access road, it means it is an illegal estate.
“He said we should dig a trench to block access through our estate, we could have acted immediately but some of the management committee members felt this would be unfair.
“What we did was to serve them notices and placed a couple of banners in the two entrances to alert the developers of the impending action. We gave them three months.”
He said the residents alleged that the people that were using the illegal access road treated the notices with levity.
“One of them even questioned the authority of the Minister to give such a directive, saying it was just a political statement and if he means it he should have gone ahead and have it gazetted.
“The minister came with all his directors, including those of Departments of Development Control, Land Administration and AGIS, they are all aware of the mess going on here and what the minister said.”
He stated that the estate was designed as a diplomatic estate, adding that most of the residents are diplomats.
“Articulated vehicles and heavy duty trucks plying our internal road trucks, have not only destroyed the road but residents are daily subjected to noise, dust and the danger posed by these vehicles.
“We urge them to do the right thing or else we may have no option but to also go to court to seek an injunction against these illegalities,” he said. (NAN)
