By Henry Umoru
ABUJA—IN what appears to be a deviation from the existing Masterplan of the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday, gave embassies and high commissions waiver to construct high tension fences as part of ways to secure the offices and residence.

According to Senator Mohammed, Nigeria as a country cannot afford to toy with the problems, challenges of the diplomatic community, just as he said that he would ensure that the problem of double allocation of plots was gone forever.

Speaking during a meeting with Heads of Missions at his Life Camp residence, the minister who noted that the Government cannot revoke any plot given to diplomats in the city, stressed that he was  aware of all the problems and challenges confronting diplomats in the city.

The concession by the Minister came up when Mahesh Sachdev, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria during the interactive session told the Minister that the embassy was yet to develop the two plots of land given to it by the Federal Government due to lack of approval of the design they wanted by the FCT Development control unit, adding that the Embassy had wanted to construct high tension fences in its embassy due to poor security condition of the country.

It was at this point that Senator Bala Mohammed ordered the Director, Development Control, Yahaya Yusuf to approve for the exit gate in the next one week and the Director replied saying noted.

According to the Minister, “We will do everything possible to ensure the security of diplomats in the city but we will also adhere to the guidelines on land administration in the FCT.’’

The Master-plan of the city does not allow the construction of high fences on structures in the city.
The Minister who reiterated that most of the undeveloped plots belonging to diplomats have caused great security risk in the city, however urged all embassies with such plots to as a matter of urgency develop them.

Present at the meeting yesterday were Heads of Philippines, Argentina, India, Italy; Chad Republic; Equatorial Guinea, Thailand, Norway; Togo; Ukraine, Belgium; Indonesia; Senegal; Mauritania, Ireland and Syria.

Others were South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany; Brazil; Japan, United Arab Emirate, UAE, Kenya, France, Mexico, among others.

The meeting was the second of its kind with the diplomats since Senator Bala Mohammed became the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

On the alarm raised by the Brazilian ambassador on the high rate of Indian hemp smoking carried out in the vicinity of their embassy, the Minister directed the security personnel in the city to respond positively, just as he urged the FCTA management to also respond to the issue raised by the UAE that it applied for plots, but was yet to be given.

Argentina Embassy expressed its appreciation that when it complained to the Minister that some individuals constructed a fence on its property, the Minister intervened by asking the people to vacant the place which they did, just as the Minister urged them to hasten the drawing process of the structure and onward processing with the development Control to stop land speculators from intruding.

For Tanzania, the Nigeria government should be diplomatic in its approach on how it addresses the issues of land for diplomats and embassies, especially revoking plots belonging to them.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Nathaniel Olorunfemi while welcoming the diplomats, urged them to support the administration and the Nigeria government in bringing investors as that would help improve the revenue base of the nation’s capital city.