‘Land swap is the answer to housing deficit’
Many are doubtful about workability of the land swap policy. It’s said that government is heading the wrong direction.The land swap model is a well-developed initiative of this administration. The land swap model is a process whereby investors with the financial and technical capacity can come on board to invest in the infrastructural development model, […]
Many are doubtful about workability of the land swap policy. It’s said that government is heading the wrong direction.
The land swap model is a well-developed initiative of this administration. The land swap model is a process whereby investors with the financial and technical capacity can come on board to invest in the infrastructural development model, where you take a district like Maitama or Asokoro you give to the investor then the investor provides the primary, secondary and tertiary infrastructure in those districts. Then take land in return as a substitute to the money invested.
What this means is that as provider, land will be exchanged with the investments put in place in a certain infrastructure. You will ask me, I hope the investment will be of the same quality and standard; yes, the investors are going to develop these districts in line with the master plan and in line with the model of other districts developed. This will be done with all the embedded facility like sewage water underground, electrical dot, telecom dot, streetlights, everything will be embedded underground not on a surface level.
Do you think this administration is still implementing the master plan?
The master plan of the federal capital territory is very paramount to the minister. That is the reason he immediately stepped into action by demolishing shanties that aren’t in line with the master plan. The master plan is the guiding document for the development of Abuja.
The minister has removed many shanties, all those buildings you used to see along the airport road have been removed and wherever you see shanties built in Maitama, Asokoro, un-accommodated structures not in line with the master plan are being removed.
Some people say the FCT administration is not doing what it’s supposed to do to move the territory forward. What can you say about this?
On assumption of office as the Minister of FCT Bala Mohammed promised that he would embark on a comprehensive infrastructural development of the city and make Abuja become one of the best 20 cities by the year 2020. Of course, the comprehensive infrastructural development is going on in both the city and the satellite towns.
Second, he is providing comprehensive development in six districts. The districts as you may know are: Katampe, Jahi, Wuye, Maitama extension, Goodluck and Kagini. These six districts’ infrastructural development is unprecedented.
Moreover, outside the development of the six districts, the minister made sure that all the ongoing projects he met on assumption are completed. Some of the projects include: the Airport road, the 10-lane Kubwa express road and the tollgate amongst others.
All over the world, infrastructure development is driven by the private sector. The minister brought about PPP for the private sector to key into the development in the federal capital. He did PPP in Mabuchi, PPP in Dalaskaraway, PPP in Katampe. Of course, we can’t talk of PPP without mentioning the Churchgate and the World Trade Center. The World Trade Center is one of his landmark achievements.
You can’t talk of his major achievements without talking about the land swap system and the PPP-driven economy. The land swap model, I must confess has attracted investors both locally and internationally. It’s a system of the World Bank that is adopted to expand the city. Looking at the entire federal area, the influx of people has become so much that the existing infrastructure is being over stretched; as a result he embarked on the projects to ensure that the city is opened up through the private sector intervention.
Even as government claims it has done much to cushion the effect of the removal of the green buses (araba) on the road, you still see city dwellers waiting for long at the bus stops for buses.
The minister brought the high capacity buses, having a major bus terminal. The mini-terminal is where the small taxis are going to take people to their respective locations. You can see that the ban on araba has given way for the high capacity buses-they take commuters from the major terminals to the mini-terminals. This has given Abuja a serene environment, traffic congestion and accidents have been reduced.
Residents are happy with the achievements. Government went ahead to include owners of araba that were stopped from operating in the city in the SURE-P taxis scheme to shuttle from the mini terminals. I believe this robust transport system is working.
Are these buses sufficient?
The buses are sufficient because this policy has opened up the transport industry for the private sector to drive. About six leasing companies have come on board to get the high capacity buses to operate as the market is there for them.
Outside the leasing company and high capacity buses, the minister has launched a light rail major transit station. The railway is an addition to the transport system for the people of Abuja.
When will the railway be ready?
The minister is working tirelessly to ensure the railway is functional by year 2015.
Why has housing shortage remained a big challenge for residents?
The housing deficit is a major issue of the Federal Government. Of course, the present administration led by President Goodluck Jonathan is working tirelessly towards achieving housing for all Nigerians.
The FCT minister and his team are tackling it. Agencies and cooperative organizations and parastatal have been given land to build homes for their staff. The issue of housing deficit will soon be over for many residents of Abuja. Moreover, with the coming of the land swap, housing deficit will be over.