FCT Owes Displaced Abuja Citizens N150bn In Compensation

Abuja Infrastructure Investment Center

Director of Abuja Infrastructure Investment Center (AIIC), Mr. Farouk Sani, has said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) currently owes Abuja indigenes over N150 billion in arrears as resettlement compensation.

Sani stated this yesterday while briefing journalists on the programme of event for a special town hall meeting on land swap initiative of FCTA, which he noted would give the general public the opportunity to ask questions on the land swap policy of FCT.

He said proper resettlement and compensations of the affected communities was a must for the administration.

“We have been talking about land swap initiative for over two years; unfortunately, many people are yet to understand the scope and that is why the administration decided to hold two town hall meetings.

“The administration understands the benefits of this initiative. During the two town hall meetings members of the public would be given opportunity to ask questions and give suggestions.

“There is this erroneous belief that we are out to grab lands. This meeting would give us this opportunity to correct this.”

Sani added that despite the fact that the private sector would be paying, compensation and resettling of the indigenes was huge on the shoulders of the administration.

“It is the private sector that is bearing the cost of compensation for resettlement of the affected communities.

“We want the communities to have best value and the private sector would pay the compensation immediately, that is one of the advantages of this land swap initiative.”