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Senate orders El-Rufai to stop demolition

Posted by By BASHIR UMAR, Abuja on 2005/05/27 | Views: 583 |

Senate orders El-Rufai to stop demolition


The Senate has ordered the minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, to stop further demolition in the territory with immediate effect.

The Senate has ordered the minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, to stop further demolition in the territory with immediate effect.

The upper legislative chambers also passed a unanimous resolution condemning the minister's action and set up an adhoc committee to investigate all the cases of demolition in Abuja.
Following a motion jointly sponsored by 10 senators, led by Senator Uche Chukwumerije, the Senate resolved that as representatives of the people, members must take a decisive stand on the excesses of the minister.

The motion noted that in spite of the good intentions of the minister to ensure respect of the master plan, the demolition did not follow due process of law, respect reality of cost-benefit as it affects the welfare of the people and show sensitivity to the logic of consistent compliance by government with every stage of the master plan.

"The current demolition exercises, which began since November 2004, has not respected the cannons of rule of law and constitutional democracy," the Senate noted.
Giving specific reasons for the stoppage of El-Rufai's demolition, the Senate said "the minister, in violating due process of law by not obtaining the enabling permit of a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with Section 53, the Urban and Regional Planing Act and by contravening Section 44(1) (3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," erred in law by the exercise.

The action of the minister, it says, also ignored the social and human cost of the exercise, pointing out that it has not only dislocated hundreds of thousands of residents in Kubwa, Karu, Nyanya, Durumi, Karmo, Idi Biaji and the capital, but also caused the destruction of property worth over N25 billion.
Most of the houses demolished, the Senate said, were duly approved by the appropriate authority in FCDA through letters of offer, certificates of occupancy and approved building plans signed by authorized officers.

The Senate further noted that the minister had ignored the House of Representatives and claimed that he would take orders only from the president and warned him to accept the fact that ministers and Mr. President also take orders from the National Assembly.

Senators who jointly sponsored the motion are Uche Chukwumerije, Yari Gandi, Nuhu Aliyu, Effiong Bob, Henshaw Ewa, Ben Obi, James Manager, Maeba Lee Ledogo, Mamora Adeke and Farouk Bello Bunza

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