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The Abuja Original Inhabitant Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) Thursday commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for initiating a comprehensive review of the 1979 Abuja Master Plan.
The organisation also praised Wike for appointing an indigenous son of the FCT, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Yunana Dauda, as chairman of the Abuja Master Plan Review Committee.
In a statement signed by its executive director, Ambassador Isaac David, AOIYEO described the review as a bold and visionary step that was long overdue.
The organisation said the review has become necessary to accommodate current realities, following rapid population expansion and infrastructure development, as well as reposition Abuja as a world-class smart city.
AOIYEO expressed appreciation to Wike for the appointment of Dauda, describing it as a historic development and a clear demonstration of the minister’s commitment to inclusivity, justice and recognition of original inhabitants as major stakeholders in the FCT project.
The organisation also commended the minister for approving the inclusion of indigenous people of the FCT as members of the ongoing master plan review process.
It said the inclusion had provided original inhabitants with an opportunity to contribute their ideas towards making Abuja the best city in Africa.
The organisation said the review was critical because many original inhabitant communities were not captured in the initial 1979 Abuja Master Plan.
It noted that the original plan proposed the evacuation of indigenous houses from the FCT, adding that since resettlement was not fully implemented, the ongoing review presented an opportunity to ensure that all original inhabitant communities were properly captured and documented in the new master plan.
AOIYEO also called for the establishment of an Abuja Original Inhabitant Community Development Policy and Integration Framework as part of the new master plan.
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