Africa
PROMINENT Civil Rights Advocacy Group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rethink his administration’s plan to displace 200 households just so that the elaborate Presidential fleet is accommodated at a time that governments around the World are becoming compact and inexpensive.
Besides, HURIWA is asking the office of the President to think of downsizing the size of the presidential fleet and sell off some of the jets or put them into use for commercial purposes to generate incomes for the public treasury. The Rights group bemoaned the extremely huge budgets committed towards maintaining such a massive presidential fleet at a time that most governments around the World are operating lean governments.
“The news that the Federal government is planning to displace 200 families by demolishing 200 housea of persons who may be staying in their ancestral homeland, just so the Nigerian Air force can further expand aviation facilities for the travelling comfort of just two families making up the presidency, truly sounds like a movie idea in Hollywood. There is almost nowhere in the world and in this 21st century, have seen or heard that government put in place to serve the people will start behaving like a monarchy when in fact the system of government is democracy. Is the Nigerian Air Force set up solely to service the travelling comfort of Mr. President and his Vice President around?
“Why is the Air force trying to use underhand tactics to remove 200 families by simply knocking down their houses to make way for the President to have bigger Air fleet. This is totally inexplicable. And to even read the casually written media statement in which a departmental head is unaware if the proper legal processes have been adhered to such as providing alternative settlements and compensation for those to be displaced, has demonstrated the predisposition of officials of government to just humiliate citizens in their attempt to do eye service to ingratiate themselves to the cosy admiration of the powers-that-be. This is so very pathetic and unkind to put it very mildly. “
HURIWA recalled that the Constitution in Section 14 of the 1999 constitution stated thus: 14.(1) The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice.
(2) It is hereby, accordingly, declared that:
(a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority;
(b) the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government: and
(c) the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. Section 44 of the 1999 constitution stated thus: 44. (1) No moveable property or any interest in an immovable property shall be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by a law that, among other things – (a) requires the prompt payment of compensation therefore and (b) gives to any person claiming such compensation a right of access for the determination of his interest in the property and the amount of compensation to a court of law or tribunal or body having jurisdiction in that part of Nigeria.”
It will be recalled that the officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration informed Nigerianss that “Following a request from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has ordered the demolition of 200 houses in Nuwalege community, close to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, to make way for the Presidential Fleet.
Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, disclosed this on Tuesday during a community and citizens’ engagement in the community.
He said; “About a month ago, the authority of the Nigerian Air Force wrote to the honourable minister on their needs and desire to remove this village because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.
“So, the minister, in his wisdom, requested that they allow the FCT Administration to handle it, because it is the responsibility of the FCT Administration. The Nigerian Air Force approached the Department of Development Control on their desire, and as part of our responsibility, we have to do what you call a community and citizens’ engagement, which is why we are here today to discuss with the community and to tell them of our intention, because it will be unfair to just bring the machine here and start removing their houses.
“So, we visited the chief at his palace to meet him, and we told him our reason for coming to this place today.”
On the number of houses that will be demolished, Galadima hinted that about 150 to 200 houses with additional commercial stores that are attached to them would be affected.
Speaking on the issue of compensation, he said, “We will discuss with the Air Force, because obviously, discussions behind the scenes indicate that some form of compensation were paid, but we have to be certain that these compensations were paid, and to who?
“We are going to conduct further investigations between the FCT Administration, that is, the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force, and find out if compensation has been paid, to whom, and when?
“Then we will discuss with our colleague at the Department of Resettlement and Compensation whether, at any point in time, there was any compensation that ascertained their claims as regards to the number of structures and people that are going to be affected by this expansion project.
HURIWA is strongly cautioning that those Nigerians about to be displaced must never be abandoned to a cruel fate.
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-December 20, 2023 @ 18:45 GMT|
Tags: HURIWA President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
