15th February, 2022
By Salisu Sani-Idris
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said there is no plan to demolish the official residences of the President of Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Mr Ahmed Hadi, made this known when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee investigating the real estate sector in the FCT, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Hadi said that the official residents of the President of Senate and the Speaker did not in anyway contravened the extant Abuja Master Plan.
He also said that due diligence had been done in every bit of 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.
“The issue is not a conclusive position and we have not reached the climax of the forum.
“We really take exception to that news making round that FCTA will demolish the official residents of President of Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“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 have been done,” he said.
He said that the development within the three arms zone was intended to house the legislature, executive and the judiciary.
He added that on the side of the executive, the Presidential Complex was developed which was supposed to be residential and office complex, side by side with the residence of the Vice President which are all 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 for the residences of the presiding or principal officers.
” And, this was what made case, between the period of 2014, there were many correspondences between the FCDA and the Department of Development Control.
” And, after due consultations 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,” he said. (NAN)