‘401 abandoned buildings yet to be revalidated’

About 401 abandoned buildings in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT are yet to be revalidated as at press time.

A source in the FCTA told your soar-away newspaper that only 31 out of the 435 have so far been revalidated.

Recall that the Department of Development Control, DDC, initially gave owners of abandoned properties a grace period of one month which elapsed on the 13^th of July, 2012 for them to finalise the required integrity testing, revalidation of approval and commencement of development of their properties.

Though when Pilot visited the DDC, the deputy director, Building Inspectorate Division, Bldr Ali Obadiah Ateasi told our correspondent that people have been turning up, but our investigation shows that only 31 have done the revalidation of their properties.

Bldr Ali told Pilot that before a person is given the go-ahead to commence development on his/her property, non-destructive test will be carried out. He noted that it is after the test they will know whether development can continue or not.

Also recall that the minister of FCT, Senator Bala Muhammed threatened then to invoke the relevant sections guiding Land Use Act in the territory.

But more than six months after the threat, nothing has happened. Even after the much-awaited report of the DDC was submitted to the office of the minister, he is yet to invoke Section 28 of Land Use Act which gives him the go-ahead to cancel the title document and removal of the abandoned buildings.

Ordinarily, the Certificates of Occupancy, C of O issued to title holders stipulates that work must commence on their buildings within six months of allocation and completed within two years but some have abandoned theirs for many years.