The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it would prosecute a cartel said to be involved in illegal street-naming in the Territory.
The FCTA also said that the legal battle between the FCTA and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over the issue of street-naming would be resolved amicably, with the understanding of all stakeholders.
The coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, on Thursday, said that while the ruling of the FCT High Court on street naming had been appealed, all stakeholders, including the AMAC leadership, have agreed to set up an inter-agency committee to consider all factors around it.
Shuaibu clarified that FCTA was not taking over AMAC’s responsibilities, but doing what the law permits, as a major provider of infrastructure in the FCT.
He further noted that FCTA’s intervention in the issue was to restore the integrity of the process, revealing that the investigation has exposed unscrupulous individuals, who were adulterating it for personal gains, using AMAC as a cover.
“The existence of a cartel who are operating for their aggrandizement using the AMAC as a cover. Even the AMAC leadership is not aware of the extent of the damage and quantum of corruption perpetrated in the name of Street naming under it.
“As such the FCTA is going to engage the anti-corruption agencies to ensure that all those involved in the infamous activities are brought to books or face the wrath of the law,” he said.
Also, the chairman of AMAC, Christopher Maikalangu, said that his Council was interested in having a harmonised process for achieving the desired result.
He also claimed ignorance of the rot in the street-naming process, saying the committee in charge of it has been in place before he came into office.
Maikalangu, however, assured that the AMAC would cooperate with FCTA on the issue, in order to find a lasting and mutually beneficial solution.
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