Land swap deal to save FG nearly N1 trillion – FCT Minister

The Honourable Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has performed the ceremonial site hand-over of the Gwagwa District Development to Messrs. Gwagwa Concession Limited under the Land for Infrastructure Swap Programme of the FCT Administration.

Speaking during the handover ceremony which took place at Gwagwa District in Abuja, the Minister said that the Administration adopted the Land Swap programme when it became obvious that the FCT Administration could not develop the FCT using its annual budgetary allocation.

The Minister said, “developing the city using the annual budgetary allocation is simply not possible now because of the way the city has grown astronomically in terms of physical expansion and a rising population”.

The programme in its most basic form, the Minister added is to grant an agreed percentage of land to an investor for comprehensive development and in exchange for this grant, the investor is to provide both specified infrastructure as well as resettlement costs.

He also said that the programme is a ten year comprehensive plan with four years meant for the provision of infrastructure. Its primary objective, in its simplest form includes the encouragement of home ownership and the reduction of housing deficit in the FCT, the provision of infrastructure in designated districts as well as finding a lasting solution to the resettlement and compensation challenges of the FCT Administration the Minister added.

The programme will be driven 100% by the private sector and is to be carried out in strict compliance with the provisions of the Abuja Masterplan and also in accordance with the technical specifications and standards established by the federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA.

The Minister also said that the programme is expected to save the Administration nearly one trillion Naira which the FCTA would have required to procure comprehensive district infrastructure in the 13 districts earmarked under the land swap programme.

Malam Bello equally expressed satisfaction that Julius Berger Nig. PLC was involved as technical partners to Gwagwa Concession saying “I am particularly happy that this particular one is being done in partnership with Julius Berger Plc because there is no way you can write the history of Abuja without mentioning this company, which as you know is hundred percent Nigerian and we are very proud to be associated with them in this city”.

The Minister further disclosed that the ceremony was one in a series of initiatives that would be flagged off before the end of the Administration. “After this”, Malam Bello said, “We have others that we intend to do and each company is expected to meet all the strict criteria established with this initiative and this criteria is basically hinged on three factors: one, to protect the investors; secondly, to protect the off-takers who are going to be the ultimate beneficiaries, and thirdly, protect the government and the environment”.

The FCT Minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his support for the Land Swap Programme, pointing out that the President’s directive is that the project should be carried out with the highest standards that the FCT is known for.

In her address, the Hon Minister of State of the FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu said, “the event is a testament to our commitment to the provision of critical infrastructure for FCT residents in line with the Presidential mandates for the Administration. This is also a bold step by the FCT Administration towards resolving the burdensome challenge of infrastructure funding through budgetary allocations”.

The Managing Director of Gwagwa Concessions Mr Farouk Saleh while presenting a symbolic key of the District to the FCT Minister promised that his company will deliver on the provisions of the contract for the development of Gwagwa District.

Also in attendance at the event were the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola, The Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmed, Mandate Secretaries of the FCTA, the Chief of Jiwa, HRH Idris Musa and other officials of the FCTA and Julius Berger