MINNA – The General Manager, Niger State Urban Development Board, Alhaji Abdul Panti, on Wednesday blamed indiscriminate allocation of plots by community heads for the increase in slums in Minna, the state capital.
Panti said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that, congestion in areas like Kpakungu, Barkin Sale, Maitumbi, Saukakahuta, Kiteren Gwari was a result of the illegal activities of community heads.
NAN reports that the areas lack basic amenities like roads, water, drainage, health and security infrastructure.
Panti alleged that the community heads have been violating professional rules and regulations by allocating plots of land without the approval of the board.
“We have invited all community heads to sensitise them to follow due process before selling out land.
“This will help the state to make available those facilities that are lacking in these slum areas such as access roads, electricity and adequate water supply,’’ he said.
The general manager said the state government had forwaded a proposal to the Federal Government for the creation of new layouts in the slums, in line with the National Urban Renewal Programme.
“Our proposal has been sent, seeking federal government’s intervention to properly restructure them.
“Once this demand is met at federal level, anyone caught building without appropriate authorization will be sanctioned,” he said.
Panti said that a committee has also been formed to dialogue with the community heads through the Ministry for Land and Housing, to ensure proper planning of towns in the state.
He urged residents to desist from illegal erection of structures, warning that such buildings would be demolished without compensation.
Also, Hajiya Habiba Ahmed, a director in the Town Planning Department, told NAN that most of the slums sprung up on land owned by the government but which were sold illegally.
“This problem has been a persistent one, people living in these slum areas believe it is their ancestral land; and development is going faster than our ability to control.
“We have what is called community plan, before a land is given out by a community head, a professional layout plan must be presented to the ministry of lands and housing,’’ she said. (NAN)