Lawrence Bajah
The Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA) on Wednesday sealed a four-storey commercial complex for being illegally distorted out of the original building plan approval.
The Department of Development Control officials who carried out the exercise expressed shock that the compromised construction site was infiltrated with unregistered builders supervising the infraction.
Director of the Department, Muktar Galadima who ordered the immediate seal off of the entire site, noted that the building approval was specifically for residential blocks. Still, the developers illegally modified the plan, converting it to a commercial complex.
Galadima said the builders supervising the compromised construction would be reported to their professional bodies. He also vowed the site would remain sealed until the right was done.
He explained that efforts had been made to stop the illegal development, but the developers disobeyed all the stop-work notices.
According to him, ” from what we have discovered, they want to add a sit-out floor, which will mean an additional load. That is why we are taking this action, because when something happens, it is the authority that will be blamed”
Also, Speaking on the development, the Deputy Director of Department, Hauwa Tundunwada noted that the additional floor the developers are illegally constructing on top of the building was never part of the original plan, just like other infractions.
She added that the exercise would be carried out at other building sites to check what developers are doing and sanction defaulters.
Ganiu Ademola, one of the supervisors who claimed to be a graduate architect on the site, acknowledged that there had been a distortion from the original plan but said the developers intend to seek variation approval from relevant agencies.
