PDP CRISIS - DEMOLITION OF A-CLASS PARK REJOINDER TO FCTA PRESS STATEMENT. Our attention has been drawn to a Press Statement issued by the FCTA justifying the proposed demolition of A-CLASS PARK which statement was signed by the Directors Parks and Recreation and Development Control Departments and published in PEOPLES DAILY NEWSPAPER of 26th October 2013. We still maintain with emphasis that the proposed demolition of our park at this time is malicious, unjust and politically motivated. The FCTA wants to demolish our Park because our Chairman, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan exercised her right to Freedom of Expression and Association as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by identifying with the Baraje led Division of the PDP. This rejoinder is to state the facts as they really are and to put the records straight for Nigerians and the whole world to know: 1. That at no time ever did our Chairman or anyone in the A-CLASS family say either orally or in writing that A-CLASS PARK was not moving out of the Maitama Transit Way whenever they are requested to do so by the FCTA in accordance with the undertaking signed by our Chairman via a letter dated 20th May 2010 to the FCTA Development Control Department. 2. That every structure that is on A-CLASS PARK now except the mosque and the VIP Lounge was in the design submitted by A-CLASS to the Development Control Department which design was approved by them. Even the mosque and VIP Lounge that were not on the design submitted were seen by the Officers of the Development Control and Parks and Recreation Departments who constantly visited the site for inspection during the construction and never said anything until we received the letter from the Development Control Department dated 19th May 2010 requesting that we give a written undertaking that we shall remove all structures on the Park whenever the Authority deems it fit at our own cost. That letter from the Development Control was prompted by an observation made by the Director Transport Secretariat when he visited the site during construction. Please note that NO STRUCTURE IS PERMANENT ON THE A-CLASS PARK. 3. On the 20th of May 2010, we gave the letter of undertaking as requested by the FCTA. Please note that we never at any time denied giving the said undertaking because we are people of honour. Also, we had given all documents relating to the park including the letter of undertaking to whoever requested for them including the Press, so we never hid and are not hiding any facts. 4. Now, we hereby give the world some facts that the FCTA Directors either purposely omitted or forgot to give in their Press Statement as published in the PEOPLES DAILY NEWSPAPER of 26th October, 2013. a) In 2008, what A-CLASS requested for in their application to the Parks and Recreation Department indicating their interest to develop and manage a park within the FCT was not a temporary park site and that was why by letter No: AMMC/P&R/S.500 dated 8th February 2010 from the Parks and Recreation Department, Park No: 102 A00 which is a designated permanent Park Area in the Abuja Master Plan was allocated to us. b) It was when Park No: 102 A00 was found to be encumbered that, without A-CLASS asking for, the FCTA through the Parks and Recreation Department via a letter dated 17th March, 2010 allocated the Maitama Transit Way to us to develop a Park as replacement for park No: 102 A00. c) That in the letter of allocation of the Maitama Transit Way to us, it was stated clearly in Paragraph three (3) that the allocation was a Temporary one pending the identification of an alternative site. d) Also in Paragraph four (4) of the allocation letter, it was stated that all Conditions as contained in the letter of allocation of Park No:102 A00 applied to the allocation of the Maitama Transit Way and that includes Paragraph ten (10) which says that the offer is for a five (5) year period in the first instance renewable after satisfactory performance. Please note that the A-CLASS PARK has been in existence only for three (3) years plus now. e) By a letter from A-CLASS dated 4th May, 2011 to the Hon. Minister FCTA in response to a letter dated 13th April 2011 from the Director Development Control to us requesting us to remove all structures, A-CLASS urged the Hon. Minister to allow us to operate the Park until such a time that the Development of the FCT Transit Way actually commences and Physically comes near the A-CLASS PARK. This plea was made because at the time they wrote us and requested that we move out, they had allocated the other side of the Transit Way to Kings Garden and JD Leisure who were at that time constructing their parks along the same Transit Way. In that letter, we also reminded the Hon. Minister of the FCTA’s promise to identify and give A-CLASS an alternative as stated in the letter allocating the Transit Way to us. Having reminded the Directors Parks and Recreation and Development Control Departments of the above stated facts, we have the following questions for the FCTA: 1. Was A-CLASS PARK developed on the Maitama Transit Way illegally, that is, without their approval to do so? 2. Has the FCTA identified and provided an alternative to A-CLASS as stated in Paragraph three (3) of the letter of allocation of the Transit Way dated 17th March 2010 Or have they withdrawn that promise? NO THEY HAVE NOT. 3. What happens to the five (5) year term as stated in paragraph ten (10) of the letter allocating the encumbered Park No:102 A00 to A-CLASS which the FCTA in their letter of allocation of the Transit Way to us said was also applicable to the Transit way allocation pending identification of an alternative site? 4. In our letter of 4th May 2011, we urged the Hon. Minister to allow us continue operating the park until when the Transit Way development actually commences and physically comes to the Maitama Side (near A-CLASS PARK). Was there a reply by the FCTA refusing that plea? NO THERE WAS NONE. It is over two years now. 5. Has development of the FCT Transit Ways, especially the Maitama Transit Way commenced? NO IT HAS NOT. 6. Since the Light rail Lines to which the Transit Ways including the Maitama Transit Way will be connected are not completed and to the best of our knowledge will not be in a very long time, if A-CLASS PARK, other Parks and even the Eagle Square which is also temporary and sitting on a Transit Way are removed now and the Transit Ways constructed, where will they transit from or to? Or is it a case of putting the cart before the horse or fixing ceiling boards in a building before putting roofing sheets? We know as a fact that only 45Km out of the 300Km of the Light rail Lines to which the Transit Ways will be connected is on going now and even that is either abandoned or going at snail speed. HABA FCTA, REMEMBER THAT NIGERIANS ARE VERY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE. 7. Is two weeks notice as given to A-CLASS to pack and remove all its structures from the Transit way enough to move out from a fully developed three hectare property when twenty-one (21) days notice is usually given even to illegal occupants by FCTA? Please look for and see their printed demolition notice. 8. If the proposed demolition is not in bad faith and politically motivated, wouldn’t it have been more civilized and fair to give A-CLASS PARK a notice letter in good time notifying them that development has commenced on the transit way and was nearing our park to give us ample time to remove the structures as promised by us and make alternative arrangements instead of the two weeks Demolition Notice issued to us as if we were illegal occupants of the Transit way? 9. Haba FCTA, you said your decision is not political but based on your determination to enforce the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan and that is why you are demolishing A-CLASS PARK and other Parks, is the determination to do the correction only in respect of Parks sited on transit ways? What about designated green Areas on the Master Plan that have been converted to residential or commercial plots which are developed as such? Or are you not aware of such distortions of the Master Plan? If you are not, there is a very clear and visible case of such conversion and distortion of the Abuja Master Plan along the route that the Hon. Minister drives from and to his official residence at Life Camp daily to his office. To be specific so that it can help you in the restoration or enforcement of the Master Plan in that regard, there is a property which has three blocks with blue roof constructed as a Hospital on a designated green Area on the Master Plan between the VIO’s Office and SETRACO, under the Jabi bridge. Or are your determination and rules of restoring the Master Plan of selective application? There are many more of such unlawful conversions and distortion of the Abuja Master Plan which if you require, just in case you are not aware, we shall give you the details. Having stated the facts the way they are without hiding anything, the world now knows what is happening and should Judge if the FCTA is doing Justice to A-CLASS especially we, the One Hundred and Eighty-Eight (188) staff of A-CLASS PARK who are about to loose our jobs if the park is demolished and our clients who have booked and paid for events will be left stranded and thrown into chaos. FCTA should also remember that it has not yet fulfilled its promise to provide an alternative to A-CLASS and has breached its implied acceptance to allow A-CLASS PARK to operate until such a time that the Transit way development commences and gets close to the A-CLASS PARK since that plea made by A-CLASS PARK was not rejected by FCTA. Members of the FCTA should please remember that the Almighty God who gives power to whoever He wants and at any time He wants is a God of Justice and knows the intentions of everyone. They should also remember that God Judges all actions according to intentions. God is WATCHING the injustice that is about to be done to us. We have no power to fight the FCTA, but God fights for the powerless and helpless, we therefore rest our case and leave everything in the hands of God and Nigerians to Judge. ……………………………………… ……………………………………. Hajiya Zainab A. Ibrahim Mr. Richard Ikhairougwe GM, A-CLASS Manager (Technical)
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 13:18:53 +0000
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