NLC condemns Wike’s plan to demolish shanties distorting FCT masterplan

The plan by Nyesom Wike to demolish unauthorised buildings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been condemned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The organised labour said that the action violated the human rights of the poor and constituted a war against them.

Comarade Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, made this call on Thursday, while speaking in Abuja, at a symposium with the theme, “Nigerian Economy and the Crisis of Survival : Robbing the Poor to Pay the Rich.”

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Ajaero argued that the impacted poor should have access to alternate shelters before the proposal is implemented.

He suggested that the FCT administration legalise those buildings and offer low-cost homes for the underprivileged.

Ajaero said “The new attack by Wike to drive the poor out of Abuja, it’s a war where they tell you that you build in a place that is not part of the master plan, the master plan is only known to them.

“The NLC is saying that those structures are not illegal, those structures should be made legal unless there is alternative to them”.

“There is no area they map out, either quarter plot or half plot for the poor to build in Abuja and when the poor manage to get small shelter, it’s been demolished on daily basis. It is a war against the poor.

“The number of people Adolf Hitler killed under a gas chamber will be a child play for people who will die because of shock over demolition.”

Wike has reportedly approved demolition of Garki, Jabi and other 28 slums which have earlier been surveyed by the Federal Capital Development Authority before this administration.

However, in a rebuttal, the former Rivers State governor said the reports were false as there were no immediate plans to carry out demolition exercise in any part of the FCT.

A statement issued by the Director of Press in the office of the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, which debunked the stories, said they were figments in the imagination of the writers and purveyors of the fake stories.

The statement entitled “Stop the mischief, misinformation: Setting the record straight on false publications and broadcast on purported Abuja demolitions”, said there was no truth in the stories.

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