No more running around a defunct committee — if you have business with Federal Government houses in Abuja, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says there’s now only one door to knock on.

Well, it’s finally the end of the road for that ad-hoc arrangement.

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate closure of the secretariat of the dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on Sales of Federal Government Houses (SFGH) in the Federal Capital Territory.

The directive was announced on Wednesday in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

According to the statement, Wike “has directed that the Secretariat of the dissolved Ad-hoc Committee on Sales of Federal Government Houses (SFGH) in the Federal Capital Territory be closed down with immediate effect.”

But that’s not all. The minister has also approved the creation of a brand-new division within the Department of Land Administration to take over everything relating to the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT. So, in simple terms, the ad-hoc era is over; the proper civil service structure is back.

For context, this sale didn’t start today. The Federal Government’s monetisation policy — which saw thousands of government-owned residential houses sold off to public servants and the public — was approved way back in April 2005 under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

Since then, it’s been one controversy after another. Remember the alleged N32 billion unremitted funds from sales between 2005 and 2007, the ICPC probe that uncovered N9.8 billion lodged in Aso Savings and Loans, and the repeated House of Representatives investigations into abandoned and irregularly sold properties? Successive FCT Administrations have had to set up vetting committees just to clean up the mess and address “serious irregularities and infractions” in the process.

The FCTA explained that the secretariat was only retained after the main committee finished its assignment, just to mop up outstanding issues. Now, Wike says that mop-up is done.

“With the formal closure of the secretariat, the general public is enjoined to henceforth approach the Department of Land Administration on all issues relating to sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT,” the statement added.

And here’s a word of warning — the Administration says scammers are already cashing in on the confusion.

“Members of the public are also urged to be mindful of the antics and activities of fraudsters who parade themselves as staff, officers and members of the defunct Ad-Hoc Committee/Secretariat on SFGH as the committee and secretariat no longer exist.”

So, if anyone flashes an old committee ID card or asks you to pay into a private account for an FG house in Abuja, you know what to do — walk away and head straight to Land Administration.

Credit: cbinews.tv

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