Leadership (Abuja)
Andrew Oota
6 January 2009
Abuja — Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, yesterday explained that the piece of land acquired by NIPOST as far back as 1994 was exclusively meant for the construction of its district office within a period of two years.
He however noted that the agency leased the land to Rosehill Limited when it could not meet the deadline.
The former minister also stressed that in 2005 , NIPOST contravened the grant by signing the lease agreement that led to the construction of block of flats and a hotel on the land, even when he (El-Rufai) was approached for his consent and he refused.
In a letter written by his Counsel A.U. Mustapha, the former FCT minister the FCT designed an accelerated development programme which was approved by the Federal Executive Council; therefore the behaviour of the NIPOST violated all laid down procedures for construction in the FCT.
NIPOST had dragged the former minister to court for revoking the land that was given to it.
The letter read in parts:
1. The so-called NIPOST land in question was allocated in 1994 to exclusively build a district office within two years, which it failed to do.
2. In 2005, in contravention of the grant, NIPOST signed a lease agreement with a company called Rosehill Ltd for the development of a block of flats and a hotel on the land. NIPOST and Rosehill Ltd approached the Minister for his consent to develop the hotel and blocks of flats, which he refused because it was a contravention of the grant and Abuja Master plan.
3. The FCT designed an Accelerated Development Programme, ADP, which was taken to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for approval. Approval was granted. The FCT now invited companies to apply for land under the ADP. Over a thousand companies applied, even Rosehill benefitted from the programme. The so-called NIPOST land was one of the lands allocated under the ADP. Not satisfied with the Minister's decision on the land, NIPOST and Rosehill went to court.
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