Two years after carving out a new district in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja out of the Mpape area of the capital city, named Maitama District II, , work is yet to begin there despite N1.3trillion budgetary allocations earmarked for the project .
Documents obtained by the Blueprint Newspaper from relevant departments in FCT, show that there was an approved budgetary allocation by the FCT Administration for the “provision of infrastructure to Maitama District II (Mpape)” with code number ERGP9100680 at the cost of N800 million in 2018.
Also, in the 2019 budget for FCTA, there was another “provision of engineering infrastructure to Maitama District II (A10)” with code number ERGP12128151 at the cost of N500 million and it was unsure whether there is a fresh allocation for the same project in the recently approved 2020 revised budget.
But a visit to the new district shows nothing on ground regarding the infrastructure two years after save for a couple of private developers, who had put up structures to commence construction of mass housing projects.
One of the developers on site, Mr. Osilama Emmanuel Osilama, whose real estate firm is involved in a housing project at Maitama II, lamented lack of serious activities in the new Maitama District II years after it was created.
He said : ” This is not a good omen for the development and expansion of the FCT as the nation’s capital city and for private investors like me.
“But I believe when the infrastructure is put in place by the Abuja authorities, more people will know about Maitama II and alot of economic activities will take place here and both the government and the people will benefit.
“The Mpape D and Annexe layouts in Mpape District are now officially Maitama II District (Cadastral Zone A10) of the FCT, and preparations for the infrastructural development are in top gear. There is a precedent already in FCT like Garki I and II; Wuse I and II).
“So, this (Maitama II) holds the prospect of becoming a very highbrow area, also taking into cognizance the high calibre of statutory allotees of the newly minted Maitama II Layout”.
