Chief Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was spitting fire as he assumed office on Monday.
The newly-sworn in minister declared that all illegal buildings and structures in Abuja must go.
Wike vowed to restore the original Abuja Master Plan. He declared that he will wield the big stick against those that distorted the Master Plan.
The new Minister of the FCT stated this while addressing staff of the ministry, shortly after he was sworn in.
The immediate past two-term governor of Rivers State was seen spitting fire in a video clip. He said: “Those we are paying for refuse collection, what are they doing.
“We must also sit down to look at, differently, ways of waste management or waste disposal. It is very very key.”
Wike said it was too bad that some people are behind the distortion of the Abuja Master Plan.
He declared that all illegal buildings will go down, irrespective of the position or status of their owners.
“All those people who are distorting the Master Plan of Abuja, too bad, too bad. If you know you have built where are not supposed to build, it will go down. It will go down, be you a minister of anywhere, be you an ambassador.
“If you know you have built where you are not supposed to develop, your house must do what? It must go down,” he said.
Wike further said areas marked out as green areas and parks in the Abuja Master Plan would be restored back.
“Those who have taken over the green areas to build, sorry our past must come back. The green areas must come back. If you hate green, you must hate yourself.
“If you have anybody who has taken over the green areas or parks to do restaurants, we would not accept that.
“Sorry. If your father has done that, sorry. If your mother has done that, sorry. There is nothing I can do. It will go down,” he declared.
The former governor also declared the era of land racketeering in Abuja is over. He said land racketeers would not be spared in the bid to restore the Abuja Master Plan.
“And all those people who are doing land racketeering- I have talked to the staff and all that are involved. Let me tell you that period of land racketeering is what? It is over.
“And those that government has given Certificate of Occupancy (C-o-O) and land allocated to them.
“They refused to develop the land but are becoming land speculators. The land is gone. I am going to revoke them,” Wike said.
He continued: “I will revoke them because I don’t understand how government will give you land to develop.
“You are taking the land you got for N200,000, you are now looking for who will buy it for N2billion or N3billion. Who does that?
“We must take back our land and give to those who want to develop it. You must sign that ‘I will develop at so so time’.
“So, if you are part of those that have been getting such land, it must come back to us,” he added.
Wike also said his ministry will vigorously pursue ground rent to shore up the revenue base of the FCT.
“And some people are saying, ‘oh, Abuja is not doing this, Abuja is not doing that’.
“Those of you that have refused to pay ground rent, non-payment of ground rents is a breach of covenant.
“I don’t need to write you to pay; you know what is right. You are a tenant, you are supposed to pay certain amount, for example. You are now saying ‘my landlord has not reasoned with me’.
“It doesn’t make sense. Abuja needs money too. Part of the revenue is ground rents. Is it not?
“And part of the revenue is ground rent. No none will be spared, banks o, big men o. I won’t be tired to revoke. That’s why I am here,” Wike said.
