Governor Wike awards property deeds, exempts federal capital territory monarchs from payment of charges

In a move to bolster ties between the government and traditional institutions, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has handed over land allocation documents to members of the FCT Council of Traditional Rulers, as part of a broader effort to acknowledge the historical presence of indigenous people in the region.

Wike made the presentation during a meeting with the council in Abuja on Friday, where he also announced a total waiver on all statutory fees for the land titles, citing direct instructions from President Bola Tinubu as the basis for this decision.

The minister acknowledged the long-standing presence of indigenous people in the area, even in cases where legal frameworks may have previously overlooked their original ownership, stating that "We cannot deny the fact that there are indigenous people who were here before the creation of the FCT".

Wike emphasized the importance of extending a gesture of goodwill to those who resided in the territory before its creation, posing the rhetorical question "If those who make peace cannot be appreciated with land, who should be?"

The minister commended the monarchs for their role in ensuring the recent Area Council elections were the most peaceful in the history of the territory, and pledged to provide utility vehicles to all traditional rulers within the FCT to support their efforts in maintaining order.

Wike noted that requiring traditional rulers to source large sums of money for titles to land they have inhabited for generations would be "unfair", highlighting the need for a more equitable approach to land administration.

Looking beyond land administration, the minister highlighted several ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at developing satellite towns, including the dualization of the Airport-Kuje road and the Bwari-Zuba link road.

Other infrastructure projects mentioned by Wike include initiatives in Apo/Karshi and Basan Jiwa, as well as the completion of the Gbazango road network, all of which are designed to support the growth and development of the region.

On behalf of the Council, the Ona of Abaji and Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, expressed gratitude for the minister's gestures and pledged the continued support of traditional institutions for the administration's policies.