The Federal Housing Authority has announced the immediate suspension of all construction and structural developments in its Gwarinpa and Apo/Guzape estates in Abuja.
The move comes in response to widespread violations of approved building plans and consistent disregard for Development Control regulations.
In a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs at the FHA, Kenneth Chigelu, the Authority emphasized that this suspension affects all ongoing construction activities in the affected estates.
“The management of the Federal Housing Authority hereby announces the suspension of all developments in its estates in Gwarinpa and Apo/Guzape, Abuja. This includes all construction, structural, and building developments,” the statement read.
Chigelu explained that the decision followed the discovery of “deliberate deviations from approved building plans” and “flagrant disobedience” of development guidelines.
“While the management of FHA is working to restore the glory of all its estates in the country, it would not fold its hands to see the decay of such a national monument like Gwarinpa estate as a result of willful distortion of the master plan,” the statement added.
The FHA raised concerns about the unauthorized conversion of residential properties into commercial use, which has caused significant disruptions.
“It is common knowledge that a lot of residential properties have been turned into commercial purposes in the estate without approval, thereby causing a nuisance to residents, while some allottees have overbuilt their plots and illegally annexed government land,” the statement continued.
To address these issues, the FHA announced a comprehensive review of all building approvals within the estates to ensure conformity with Development Control standards and to identify genuine approvals.
“Consequently, all developments in the estate are hereby suspended until management concludes the review of all development plans. Non-compliance with this directive would be met with stiff penalties,” the statement warned.
The FHA reiterated its dedication to upholding law and order and protecting the integrity of its properties. It underlined that in order to stop additional deterioration of these important residential neighbourhoods, the master plan must be restored and stringent adherence to development criteria must be
enforced.