Day five of the Senate probe into demolitions, revocations and re-allocations of properties in the Federal Capital Territory by the last administration has further revealed hidden details.

Engr. Yusuf Yahaya, Director of Development Control yesterday revealed that the demolition exercise in the FCT by the el-Rufai administration cost the Federal Government a total sum of N680.97 million naira.

Testifying before the senate committee, the director gave the breakdown as N180.11 million for actual demolition from 1999 to the terminal point of el-Rufai's reign.

The cost of procuring demolition equipment including bulldozers was put at N457 million. Though he said the bulldozers would be useful beyond demolition, while the cost of removal of debris and ruble, he said, was N22.86 million.

Yahaya was not director of development control in the el-Rufai years. He became director on October 31, 2007.

But he was said to be in the agency under the chairmanship of other directors.

Contrary to well-known victims and testimonies of earlier directors and victims of demolition, Yahaya said he was not aware that there was any demolition in contravention of any court order or injunction.

Other directors before him, Isa Shuaibu and Jumai Kwanashi, would appear Friday to state their roles in the demolition during their reign.

In his testimony, the director, Satellite Towns Development Authority, Mr. Abdullahi Buhari Dikko, told the committee that former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave approval for all the construction in the satellite towns to be done by direct labour even when the FCT minister was not competent to approve the volume of money involved.

He said that the approval was given following a letter by the minister to Obasanjo on April 1, 2006. The minister stated in the letter that direct labour would "eliminate tender processes and allow for fast work," so a task force Satellite Towns Strategic Projects Task Force was set up for that purpose.

Following the approval, Idu-Karmu road was given at the cost of N300 million, Chika-Aleta road was awarded at the cost of N155 million; Angwan Mada-Gidan Mangoro road was awarded at the cost of N216 million, so also Kuje-Pegi road for N216 million.

Also Mr. Dikko disclosed that Jikwoyi-Karshi road was awarded to Arab Contractors at the cost of N1.202 billion.

Though about 35% completion has been achieved, the company was fully mobilised and a certificate of job completion already issued to them.


http://allafrica.com/stories/200804160289.html