The Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Mr Peter Yohanna on Monday, appealed to the FCT minister to ensure that Mpape residents were re-settled before embarking on the demolition of the area.
The chairman spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari in reaction to the demolition threat imposed on the residents.
“ I am not saying that houses should not go down, but the demolition should be done with caution, especially during this period,“ Yohanna said.
He advised the FCT administration to make provisions for the residents before demolishing houses so as to cushion the effects on the people.
NAN reports that most of the residents who spoke on the issue, said the proposed demolition was wrongly timed, especially during this fasting period.
Mr Johnson Fagbemi, a Civil Servant who spoke with NAN said he owns a two bedroom flat in the area and such plan would bring pain, sorrow and stress to the people.
“I just moved into the apartment two months ago after the completion of the building which I started five years ago, “Fagbemi said.
He appealed to the government to compensate them for the loss they would incur when the buildings go down.
Mrs Grace Ayuba, a petty trader said that she had nowhere to go and appealed to the government to help them with a place to resettle before the demolition.
Mr David Okoro, a landlord in the area, said that the proposed demolition would create problems and affects means of livelihood.
“I have a block of six two bedroom flats in the area, how do they want me to survive? This is what I feed on,’’ he said.
NAN reports that some of the residents had moved out of the area due to the threat of demolition while some said they have nowhere to go.
They appealed to the government to assist them with places to relocate to or compensate them for the loss they were about to encounter.
NAN reports that the FCT authorities had explained that the planned demolition of parts of the area was to restore the master plan and also make room for expansion of the area. (NAN)