THISDAYonline

Minister of the Federal Capital Territorty, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai may have concluded plans to institute a probe into unwholesome practices of the FCT.

The 27-year old city is beset with systemic and structural problems leading to the distortion of the city's master plan. This is manifest in the irregularities surrounding the allocation of land in the territory (double allocation and illegal allocations), erection of illegal structures on sewer lines and green areas among other litany of illegalities perpetrated by some officials of the ministry.

Dropping the hint while on an inspection tour of some parts of the city yesterday, el-Rufai said he was poised to track down such culprits in a renewed bid to "clean up" the territory.

"If people acted against the law, we will go against it and go after them. If somebody's name keeps propping up at every stage, we will have to invoke the necessary sanction. We have the will, we will do it", he said.

El-rufai who noted that he had clear directives from President Obasanjo to clean up the city maintained that the clean up exercise entailed the administrative style as well as the environmental aspects of the city.

"I am going to clean up the city literally and that does not stop at making the city environmentally clean but also a comprehensive cleaning which will include the way the city is run", he said.

Continuing, he said: "We want a city where things work, adequate supply of water, electricity so that we can relive the dreams of the founding fathers, the dream of the late General Murtala Mohammed of blessed memory and President Obasanjo himself."

On the possibility of encountering hitches associated with past administrations in attempting to straighten issues in the city, he stated that the Obasanjo administration was committed to the realization of the objectives of the city having giving the FCT administration the necessary backing.

Former minister Mohammed Abba-Gana had instituted a committee led by Dr. Longinus Ofoegbu, director of education in the ministry to look into certain irregularities in land allocation. The committee had recommended wide ranging reforms, which included the re-organization of the lands department among others.

The ministry has, however, failed to release a white paper on the committee's recommendations.