• Abuja’s Apo traders raise alarm over long delay in getting land allocation
• We may go to court to seek justice, they threaten
From Idu Jude, Abuja
Making the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) a smart city backed by modern technology is a pledge the authorities of the FCT have always made. This would include ensuring that residents, industrial layouts and, especially, artisans from the informal sector are allotted permanent spaces within the city for their business.
But for traders in Apo area of the federal capital, the long, nine-year wait to have their land allocated to them has become an endless one, with no end in sight. It is one delay that has become totally tiresome and, to them, it is no longer acceptable. They claim to have fulfilled all righteousness, done all necessary paper works and fulfilled other requirements since 2014 under former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed. Yet getting the land has remained elusive.
Right now, the traders and artisans around the FCT are worried that the delay might lead to their land being given to others who are not potential traders and artisans in the FCT. They are also getting set to commence a legal battle in protest.
President General, Apo Trades Association Abuja (ATAA), Chief Chimezie Ifeh, also known as Chimex, told Saturday Sun that the ATAA’s long wait has reached a boiling point, which may result to a legal battle if nothing quickly is done to remedy the situation.
Hear him: “The quest for this land allocation started since year 2014 when the administration, under the then minister, Bala Mohammed, wrote us that it would carry out relocation of all people including artisans to permanent sites. We were asked to come forward and apply for land, which we did but also we were told to pay for all expenses involving land surveying and other things. That took almost N100 million to achieve.
“So, after all the surveying and engineering design expenses, we were given the allocation paper. But since then, there has been one issue that has become a clog in the wheel of progress. Immediately after we were given the allocation papers, we were told that we needed to sign a lease agreement which would be the final stage of the documentation.
“To our chagrin, the process of signing the lease paper has lasted for eight to nine years, crossing from the era of of Bala Mohammed to Mallam Mohammed Bello to the era of Nyesom Wike.
“Unfortunately, nothing has been done. It is becoming a clear case of deceit, after spending over N100 million, including engineering designs and surveying plans of the said allocation.”
He said at a point, ATAA executives were told to meet the then Director of Land, who is retired now. He noted that the meeting was held but that the executives present at the meeting were told by the director that ATAA should change the letterhead with their registration name.
“We were told to transfer the body of our letter to a letterhead to be given to us by the FCT Director, an idea we objected to because the idea was strange and was never suggested to the congress ab initio. So we requested some time for such move, since we were just few members of the executive. We also asked him to put his request of changing our registration name in written form so it could serve as evidence. But after hearing this from us, his countenance changed. He told us we might not get the land since we had rejected his request.
“I felt bad after he stated this. I told him we would get the land since we had fulfilled all requirements. He took offence. And since then, it has been from one office to another. We have paid so much money trying to ensure that the lease paper is signed and the members given allocations. We have spent over N100 million on engineering designs, surveying and other meetings and so on. This is because they told us to foot the bill. And we did.”
He said the long awaited release of the lease paper is presently causing disaffection between the association members and the executives. Chief Ifeh said the executives are now at the receiving end as members who have paid so much want their allocations.
“The last time we were at the FCT Minister’s office protesting the long delay in giving us the lease document was at the twilight of Mallam Mohammed Bello’s administration. He promised to give out this lease paper and during those days, he kept telling us that the lease paper would be given to us in two weeks, until he started dodging us. That continued until he left office.
“We are tired of repeating same thing every year before every minister that comes. It is a very dangerous thing that people should be going through this kind of thing just because someone somewhere is hell bent on frustrating us. I cannot here tell you how much we have spent. So we would do all it takes to ensure that we get all that the people deserve. We are a law-abiding association and when the FCT administration came to us, we complied and we were told that there would be a road passage through the Apo Mechanic Village. We agreed that anytime the road passes, that we would adjust to enable such while we keep making moves for the permanent site.”
There have been reports of perceived fractional leadership in the association, but Chief Ifeh denied that there was any dispute that might lead to the formation of a faction group.
His words: “The relationship has been so cordial and I must tell you that all the associations have been part of the journey. And they are all very ready to continue to achieve the result. If you observed well, during our protest to the minister’s office, there were several representatives from all the trades associations. The people we had during the rally were all executive members from all the associations that formed the trades association. We are even better now that a new minister has been appointed in the name of Nyesom Wike. We are hopeful that he would do the needful.
“There was a comment a director made during one of our meetings, that the whole of Abuja cannot be given to a certain people. And since that comment was let out, it has never been the way we thought.”
He insisted that the Abuja Trades Association is a unique association duly registered and can transact business at any level in Nigeria. “We are the only trades associations that the FCT administration deals with in terms of the land allocation in Wasa area for the permanent site of the Apo traders. And that is why the Wasa land allocation paper has been given to us. If not, why was it given to us? What we are just waiting for is the lease paper from the FCT administration. Due to the delay over the years, we have just approached the National Assembly Committees on FCT to help us press it down on the administration to hasten up and release the lease paper.
“We don’t have a factional group as far as this struggle is concerned even at the point of getting the allocation paper. And the question is, can there be two allocation papers for one land at Wasa? And the answer is no unless someone somewhere is playing pranks, which would be resisted totally. We will continue to approach the ministry. And now that Mr. Wike is here as the new FCT Minister, we must approach him to get our land.”
The leadership of the ATAA has also alleged that there are forces working against the release of the lease paper. Said the president-general “I am not here to call names, but we know so many people who have played one role or the other and that is why we wish to exhaust all efforts and formalities before heading to court, because that is the only place to seek justice.
“And we have seen so much in the process of securing the lease paper after the allocation paper was given. We have also learnt much, with so much financial expenses. It would be a great undoing to this country should any one, out of ethnic bigotry, deny the huge number of artisans their right just because of perceived Igbo dominance in auto business across Nigeria and FCT in particular.
“I would also like to state here that some people may have been making some moves to circumvent the process and award the lands to themselves instead of the artisans. And I am sure that some of them had done that, if not that we on our own are always on ground to counter their moves. It is pertinent to know that the Wasa allocation in question is not meant for residential, neither can anyone use it for other business apart from trades.
“But without being told, we know how things work in this country. Some with no business with us may be eying the allocation or eyeing part of the allocations. But we have our people intact. We have our members united under one association. So it would be difficult for anyone to break the ranks to get the allocation. So whatever they do must be countered.”
Asked if he was scared that his association might lose the land, he stated that losing the land to the rich in Abuja would be impossible, as the allocation paper is already with ATAA.
“We can’t lose the opportunity, because we are Nigerians and we are part and parcel of Federal Capital Territory. The land, if given, is not for the Igbos alone. Here we have Igbo, Yoruba, Hausas and other tribes. Whoever is insinuating that the land in Wasa could have been set aside for the Igbo, then let the person be part of the trades associations that FCT wants to give the land.
“I am telling you now and quote me that it is going to be a big battle. We are going to explore legal means to get that land. No one can stop what we have started and like I told you, the allocation paper has been given to us and it is just to get the lease paper.
“We are just waiting for the new minister who had just assumed office to settle down before we renew our visit and as you know, Nyesom Wike, is a man who believes in equity. If he should replicate what he did in Rivers to the FCT, then there wouldn’t be any problems for us.
But in a situation that nothing is working, we would approach the court to fight for our rights because the FCT is not made for just a section of this country. If you look at the entire FCT, rich men from one section of this country own 65 per cent of buildings in the FCT with thousands of them taken over by reptiles and mad people. But contrary to our case, an allocation already established for trades associations has lasted for almost nine years without a lease paper. And one other thing that baffles me is that the government keeps promising good leadership and advocating a united Nigeria. But they do a different thing afterwards.”
Chief Mike Ezeh is a prominent businessman based in Apo, Abuja. He noted that issues surrounding the allocation of Wasa as a permanent site for all artisans in Abuja is an opportunity that cannot be toyed with. He alleged that some hawks and land grabbers were at work to exploit the delay in ensuring that ATAA does not have the land for themselves.
His words: “My resolve is that there should good support for Chimezie leadership who has, since 2014 been fighting this battle, so that this lease paper is released for the poor masses who feed their families through their handiworks. Among all of them are people who are average citizens of this country and we should be careful not to miss this opportunity, now that the allocation paper is with us.”
Ezeh called on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to do everything possible to see that Wasa land allocation lease agreement is signed and to ensure that justice is done in respect to the issue.
Festus Olowokere, an automobile engineer who specialises in car air conditioning system repair, told our correspondent that the relocation of all artisans to Wasa, in his view, might be a hoax owing to the frustration being suffered by the traders and artisans after millions of naira had been spent chasing the lease paper. He said that the relocation has become necessary now that road construction is ongoing from Karishi, Apo to Abuja City Centre.
He said: “This road project has affected me twice and I need to state here that those who are holding on to the lease document are not doing us any good. They came here and told us that the law of FCT provides the Wasa relocation, and we all heeded the policy. So I feel some people somewhere are using us to make money or to reallocate the lands to themselves. We heard recently that there are some groups also laying claim to the land, a land whose allocation paper has been given to ATAA. What a shame!”