Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has extended the ‘develop or revoke’ ultimatum issued to religious organisations, specifically churches and mosques.
He exempted them from the three-month ultimatum earlier issued to owners of undeveloped plots.
The Minister, in September, granted a three-month grace period to owners of 189 undeveloped plots of land in Abuja, to begin developing them or risk having their allocation papers revoked.
The Minister, in September, granted a three-month grace period to owners of 189 undeveloped plots of land in Abuja, to begin developing them or risk having their allocation papers revoked.
However, yesterday, he announced that the Administration will extend the ultimatum on religious groups since they largely depend on free-will donations for sustenance. Wike stated this when he received the Board of the National Mosque, led by its chairman, Yahaya Abubakar, Etsu Nupe.
The group was at the FCTA to seek clarification on the status of plot, 63, where they were directed to halt development during the construction of the Outer Southern Expressway.
The board also used the opportunity to seek for support to complete the ongoing renovation of the FCT National Mosque, which was carried out by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), before the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Responding, the minister said that the revocation order issued to owners of abandoned projects and plots was not targeted at any individual or group, but rather to change the landscape of the territory and to discourage criminals from hibernating in them
He added that no government will hesitate to support the renovation of a national monument, be it Mosque or a church.
He added that whatever assistance had been in place for the National Mosque would be sustained, if not improved upon
“In order to fight crime, and change the landscape of the city, we will not allow uncompleted buildings, therefore those who gave theirs, go now and start completing.
“Now you have come and explained, which reasonable man would not accept it. So our people should stop saying he is targeting so group or religion or ethnic group, no, it is for the interest of all of us.
“We will extend it, so we will not restrict it to three months for you, as a religious group, because there is no money as people come to support you. And it is only when they support that you can carry out whatever you are doing,” he said
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