The Kaduna State Government has once again defended the demolition of a factional secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The Commissioner of Finance in the State, Mr Suleiman Kwari, dismissed the claim in some quarters that Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s administration simply clamped down on the building out of political motives.
“It is not to say that politics is what has led to this situation,” he said having appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
Kwali, however, reiterated the vision of the state government in getting rid of substandard structures that could attract street hawking among several other activities in the state.
He explained that the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) is vested with the powers to ensure that the purpose for which land is allocated to someone is being served rather than an entirely different purpose.
“This is actually a way of executing the mandate of the agency,” the commissioner said.
“It is towards this that whatever land is allocated, the allottee develops such land within the allowed limits of development and all lands allocations are tied to specifics.
“Specific ways of executing the construction, specific requirements in terms of what one should be doing to ensure that land that is allotted to him remains his own which includes the payment of ground rent or the land use charge,” he added.
The state government has come under heavy criticism following the pulling down of the building located at 11B Sambo close in the state capital on Tuesday.
APC’s factional secretariat was opened after the suspension of the Senator representing Kaduna north district, Suleiman Hunkuyi and expulsion of 28 other members for anti-party activities.
In its reaction, the faction described the demolition as ‘a deliberate act of terror,’ saying it showed the intolerance against the opposition by Governor El-rufai.
