The six Area Councils in the nation’s capital and other stakeholders have received a total of N2,918,292,782.67 billion from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as their share of the statutory allocation for the month of May 2022.

Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Minister of State for the FCT, presided over the 165th Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting and praised all significant players for their dedication to the allocation committee.

The FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who attended the meeting in Aliyu’s place, urged both the old and new chairman to carry out their responsibilities appropriately and emphasized that the political era was finished.

She appealed to the chairmen not to see themselves as representatives of any political party but rather, representatives of the people.

“Please don’t see yourselves as PDP or APC Chairmen, rather see yourselves as chairmen of the people,” she stressed.

While harping on environmental sanitation of the councils, the minister charged the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) to work in synergy with the council’s authorities with a view to achieving the desired results.

A breakdown of the figures released indicate that the sum of N631,035,849.37 million was made available for distribution to the six area councils, while the sum of N2,287,256,933.30 billion was made available to other stakeholders, bringing the total sum to N2,918,292,782.67 billion.  

However, distributions to area councils show that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), received N136,208,827.21million, while Gwagwalada got N96,081,891.11 million and Kuje received N131,764,662.27million.

Other area councils include, Bwari Area Council received N91, 009,759.01million, Abaji got N94,094,080.35million while Kwali received N81,876,629.42million, bringing the total sum to N631,035,849.37million disbursed to the six area councils.

Furthermore, distribution to other critical stakeholders include: Primary School Teachers which gulped N1,923,745,610.27billion, 15 percent Pension Funds took N226,478,989.57million, One percent Training Fund gulped N29,182,927.83million, while 10 percent Employer Pension Contribution gulped N107,849,405.63million, bringing the total sum to N2,287,256,933.37billion.  

Those present at the 165th Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), meeting include the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, Federal Commissioner representing FCT at the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, Hon. Tanko Abari, and Director of Administration and Finance, FCT Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun.

Others include Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Christopher Zakka, Chairman Abaji Area Council, Hon. Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Hon. Danladi Chiya, Vice Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Hon. Abubakar Musa Bwari amongst others.

The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to paying all outstanding debts owed to contractors that have already completed a number of contracts awarded by the council’s immediate past administration.

The Chairman gave this guarantee to angry contractors who had not yet been paid for work completed under the previous administration.

In spite of the budget issues, Maikalangu stated that the government had given the contractors one month’s salary from the just ended administration, and he pleaded with them to be patient.

The Chairman expressed confidence that the contractors will receive payment as soon as feasible while attributing the delay to declining internal income collection and anticipated money from the federal government.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant, Media And Public Affairs , Mr Kingsley Madaki stated that: “It will be unfair for your money to be tied down somewhere for number of years.

“As you all know this is a new administration. I resumed office on the 14th of June 2022, so I felt that we should invite all the contractors owned
by the previous administration so we can know ourselves. You have worked for the council and you deserve your payment.

“But also I want you to have it at the back of your mind that very soon we will call you on a proper inspection of all the projects you said you have have completed. We are going focused on projects that has reached 100 percent completion.

“Let the truth be told we may not pay all. Don’t expect us to perform magic from us, because all the necessary findings must be done before any payment. Most of the debt is traced to 2016 to 2019. Government is a continuous we want to assure you that we will gradually pay it”

He assured; “We are making serious efforts in ensuring that we get the expected funds from the federal government, and we are also ensuring that we up-scale our Internal Revenue Generation (IGR) to enable us offset our liabilities. I want to assure you that all our contractors will be paid soon”. He said.

While thanking the the Chairman on his promises to offset the debt owned by the previous administration, Engr. Bello Shafiw the Managing Director of Christal Love AND TINA Nigeria LTD, said the audience given by the new council Chairman was a huge step in the right direction.

“With this kind of Chairman in the leadership of the council, the residents should be rest assured that things will work well for good. We didn’t expect to call us or have any interest in paying a debt he didn’t acquire. Most of us have lost hope since, but with this assurance we have gotten here today our hope is revived already. Some of us are being owed for years after the completion of jobs. We have been asking and nobody answered us but thank God for the answer we have gotten from this present administration” he said.