By Festus Fifen.

As the Nigeria Federal Capital Continues to witness the rapid influx of people which has resulted in sporadic developments especially in satellite towns, the Federal Capital Territory Administration Executive Committee (EXCO) on Monday approved the establishment of ‘FCT Regional Development Offices’ in the six Area Councils of the Territory to monitor and safeguard the sanctity of the Abuja Master Plan and ensure sanity in the development of the satellite towns.

This was one of the major takeaways from the 10th Meeting of the FCT EXCO on Monday in Gwarimpa I District, Abuja, which was chaired by the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello.

A statement by the Director Information and communication Muhammad Hazat Sule, The EXCO noted with dismay the abuse of the Abuja Master Plan, where people build indiscriminately. The establishment of the six Regional Development Offices is, therefore, expected to address this normally in the Area Councils and Satellite Towns of the Territory.

According to the statement, the new body is expected to monitor all physical developments to conform to Planning Regulations as contained in the Regional Master Plan of Abuja.

The statement read in parts “The Planning Regulation will be enforced to prevent the springing up of squatter settlements because the Area Councils and Satellite Towns are all integral parts of the Federal Capital Territory and must be developed in consonance with the Master Plan of Abuja,” the EXCO emphasized.

The EXCO instructed the stakeholder Departments of Land Administration; Urban & Regional Planning; Survey & Mapping as well as Development Control respectively to henceforth, deploy competent officials to these Regional Offices.

While the Regional Offices are to work and liaise with their Head Offices in the City, the FCT Administration insisted that it will not fold its arms to allow the springing up of squatter communities.

The entire land within the 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory, whether urban or regional is planned and developments in these areas will have to be in line with the physical planning as envisioned by the founding fathers of Abuja.