FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, hitherto considered unfit to hold the FCT fort-polio in the Buhari administration, has suddenly woken up from slumber with a promise to follow the footsteps of President Buhari in tackling corruption, stealing and other vices in the FCDA to ensure that his administration is alive and to its responsibilities to Nigerians.
He added that all on-going projects he inherited and those abandoned will be completed before other gigantic projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the people are considered and possibly embarked upon.
Bello gave the assurances at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on his administration’s policy thrust where he vowed to deliver a secured environment for peaceful co-existence of the people.
“Part of my policy is to make sure that the Abuja master-plan is strictly followed while the problem of traffic congestion faced by commuters in several locations is addressed and expedite action to complete and commission more feeder roads within the territory”, he said
His words: “As I set out my responsibilities in the FCTA, I shall be guided by the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver a secured environment, zero tolerance to corruption and ensuring that government is alive to its responsibilities
“In the face of the myriad needs demanding for scarce resources and the numerous uncompleted and abandoned projects, which if completed, will have immediate positive impact on the city and its residents, we do not intend to embark on huge new projects that do not have any meaningful multiplier effect. Our priority in the short run, therefore, will be the completion of on-going projects as may be appropriately reviewed
“Projects of immediate attention will include satellite towns in which we will target the development of affordable mass housing schemes and infrastructures in partnership with the private sector to address the acute shortage of housing of low income earners. This will have the multiplier effect of reinvigorating the economy and creating employment opportunities in the satellite areas
“The law that created Abuja is 40 years and after the law, a master-plan was established for the city with the provision of being reviewed periodically
“What this administration is going to handle is the issue of flagrant abuse of the master plan. Obviously this will not be acceptable but of course readjusting and being flexible on the plan in line with current demographic realities will always be done”.
Commenting on the minister’s posture, a senior staff of FCDA, Alhaji Aliyu Jungudo commended the minister while assuring him of absolute support, loyalty and determination of members of staff to achieving the desired objectives.
His words: “Our Honorable Minister has rolled out his blue-print of action for the FCTA. It is our responsibility to support those objectives to fruition and we shall not fail him. We are determined to support his success and the success of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The minister is determined and we are determined to work it out”.
