AMMC Clarifies N300,000 Relocation Fee, Warns Against Fraudulent Practices in Apo Mechanic Village Relocation
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The Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Felix Obuah, has clarified the N300,000 fee charged for the relocation of artisans from the Apo Mechanic Village to Wasa in the Federal Capital Territory. According to Obuah, the N300,000 is a non-refundable fee for land registration in the ongoing relocation process for traders on the road corridors in the area. He explained that the fee is intended to prevent the submission of “ghost names” and ensure that only legitimate beneficiaries apply.
Obuah provided these updates during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, where he addressed the traders about the enumeration exercise, proposed site plan, and other relevant details. He also accused certain union leaders of exploiting the situation by charging artisans and mechanics up to N1 million for the relocation forms. Obuah warned that security agents would arrest individuals involved in fraudulent activities, such as falsely allocating land to traders who are not eligible.
So far, over 11,000 individuals have registered for the relocation exercise, with many paying the government’s official fee of N300,000. However, Obuah noted that some traders had been charged additional fees, with some allegedly collecting as much as N650,000, despite the government’s set amount. He emphasized the need to ensure transparency in the process and assured the traders that any allocation of land would be publicly published.
Obuah acknowledged the challenges of dealing with the traders, particularly due to inflated lists, with over 45,000 names initially submitted by various unions. These exaggerated lists led the AMMC to conduct a physical enumeration to identify the actual affected traders. The relocation process is specifically for those located along the road corridors and buffer areas, and the forms are not meant for individuals outside these zones.
The AMMC Coordinator also reassured stakeholders that the relocation exercise would be completed before the end of the month. He denied rumors that the shops were being allocated to government officials or their associates, emphasizing that no such favoritism had occurred. Obuah made it clear that the process would be transparent and concluded under the current administration.
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