Still of FCT’s land swap policy

The recent ground breaking for the provision of infrastructure in Dallas Caraway District, as accomplished by the Senator Bala Mohammed symbolizes a historic progress with regards to developing key infrastructures in the Federal Capital Territory.The event is significant because it is the first District to have the contract for provision of infrastructure in it undertaken […]

The recent ground breaking for the provision of infrastructure in Dallas Caraway District, as accomplished by the Senator Bala Mohammed symbolizes a historic progress with regards to developing key infrastructures in the Federal Capital Territory.
The event is significant because it is the first District to have the contract for provision of infrastructure in it undertaken through the newly introduced Land-Swap system.  The Land Swap System is a process whereby land is used as resource for infrastructure provision. As it is, the investor who is providing the infrastructure is given a certain portion of land in the district to sell as plots or completed houses to people and in return, he provides infrastructure in the entire area given to him, as well as the remaining areas, which government retains and which it would allocate directly to the people, through the normal land allocation process.
The elucidation by Senator Bala Mohammed on the inventiveness of the FCT Administration is for the development of the districts in phase IV of the Federal Capital City, ostensibly using FCT land as resources for infrastructure development; he has also shown that the new strategy which is dubbed “phase IV Transformation Agenda Project”, is emphatically a property development structure based on the remarkable fact that the FCT Administration is working in partnership with the private sector to convey qualitative houses with key infrastructures to Greenfield districts predicated on the Federal Government’s transformation agenda, of which Bala Mohammed is crucial.
The overwhelming importance of the Land Swap system cannot be over emphasized but basically it was put in place by the current FCT Administrationto accelerate infrastructural development; the collective key infrastructure development in the Federal Capital Territory, from the time of its inception, has not been more than twenty five(25) per cent. In excess of ninety(90) per cent allocated plots remain undeveloped by allottees.This is predicated on the mere fact that key infrastructures have not been provided, and it is this anomaly that the FCT Minister intends to correct.This is in addition to the paucity of funds required by the FCT Administration to provide complete infrastructure; Out of all the land allocations given as various plots, only about 10 per cent of these plots have been fully developed, with about 90 percent underdeveloped; this essentially means that most of the allocated plots of land cannot be developed due to lack of infrastructure in those districts to facilitate the building of houses and institutions.
Ostensibly, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has proffered this kind of initiative (Land Swap Model) which is geared towards the opening of new boundaries for the development/provision of key infrastructures and partnership; one that is structured to envision any inhibition whether it is human or finance. This is in ensuring that the FCT can be moved to the next level of genuine development and progress.
The Dallas Caraway District is approximately a 10-minute drive from Abuja city centre and it spans 230 hectares of enchanting rolling hill landscape, which is made more interesting by lux greenery, a gulf strip and a lake with stunning panoramic view of both Aso Hill and the City Centre. Its prime location within Abuja’s peaceful countryside and active metropolis makes this a residential haven in the heart of Nigeria. The scope of amenities also includes the provision of water supply distribution network, storm water drainage system, sewage system, electric power plant and distribution, street lighting and telecommunication. Each house shall be sited on approximately 2,000 square meters area of land in a proximity to amenities including schools, clinics, police station, ambulance services and a shopping centre. The district is divided into six zones or provinces made up of Fairway Province, Justice Province, Diplomats Province, Regatta Province, Executive Province and Premier Province.
Caraway Dallas District is the pioneer project of the Land Swap initiative intended by the FCT Administration. The District was awarded to Messrs Plethora Reality and Facility Management Ltd. Plethora Reality Infrastructure is a special purpose vehicle established by Plethora Limited to undertake the development and provision of integrated Engineering Infrastructure in the Caraway Dallas District. The Caraway District is anoutline for future district development in Abuja towards the realization of the Abuja Master plan. Some of the attractions this district as included in the infrastructure contract deal; a Nile gulf strip, artificial lake, shopping mall, luxury hotel , CCTV and other security infrastructure, 24-hour continuous electricity supply, street lighting and maintenance, fibre optic internet  communication, schools and places of worship, petrol filing station, private ambulance services.
There is a sturdy optimism of a fruitful working partnership between the Federal Capital Territory and the Private Sector for the success of the Land Swap System; one that will ensure the transformation of Abuja into one of the best 20 best cities in the world by 2020.
Ibrahim wrote from No 5, Bar Beach tower, Victoria Island, Lagos State, [email protected]