The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has expressed the determination of the administration to collaborate with resourceful bee farmers.

This, according to her will create an enabling environment for the growth of the Apiculture sector in the nation’s capital.

She made this known at the commemoration of 2021 International Bee Day (IBD) in Abuja, while , identifying lack of modern bee-keeping techniques and access to modern inputs as some of the major challenges facing the Apiculture sector in the nation’s capital.  

Aliyu also affirmed that despite the numerous challenges facing bee keeping, the FCT Administration through the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) has organised various training programmes to expose the farmers to modern techniques in bee production.  

She used the occasion to pledge that the administration would continue to strengthen the existing collaboration with the FCT Bee Farmers towards sensitising the populace on the importance of bees to human survival as well as the abundant potentials that exist in the sector.  

Speaking on the significance of bees to human existence, the minister hinted that bees pollinate about 80 percent of world’s plants and about 90 percent of food and cash crops, stressing that from cosmetics, medicine, confectioneries, and the pharmaceutical industries, the demand for organic honey and other hive products is growing.  

According to her ; “The FCT Administration has over the years, identified with our very resourceful bee farmers towards creating the enabling environment for the growth of the Apiculture sector in the Federal Capital Territory.  

“And in line with the theme of this year’s event, “Bee Engaged” the FCT Administration is determined to strengthen the existing collaboration with the FCT Bee Farmers towards sensitising the populace on the importance of bees to human survival as well as the abundant potentials that exist in the sector”.  

She , therefore, assured that as part of women and youth empowerment initiatives, youths from the rural communities of the FCT would be encouraged and organised into clusters and trained to take up bee-keeping as a source of livelihood.  

Earlier the Ag. Secretary FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mr. Prospect Ibe, stressed that the Secretariat through the Department of Forestry has been providing support towards the development of the sector.  

He also hinted that the department has equally been making efforts to organise the members of the Association into effective cooperative groups to ensure better coordination of support programmes as well as positioning them to assess financial support facilities.  

Recall that in recognition of the significant role that bees play in the sustenance of biodiversity, the United Nations Organisation, (UNO) in 2018 designated May 20th as the International Bee Day. It is a day set aside to raise awareness on the importance of bees as pollinators and the need to strengthen measures to ensure their protection and survival.  

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned developers in the nation’s capital to against infractions of Abuja Master Plan.

The administration also vowed to demolish all illegal structures in the nation’s capital no matter how highly placed.

Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Acting Director, FCTA Department of Development Control, Tpl Garba Kwamkur made this known in Wednesday in Abuja during an inspection of on-going developments across the territory,

While warning developers to desist from violating the Abuja Master Plan with all sorts of infractions.

Kwamkur stated that the weekly exercise became necessary owing to increased illegal development activities, as developers took advantage of the period of lockdown to put up structures, hoping that the authorities would not find out.

Speaking specifically on some of the major development abuses, Kwamkur stated that stop work notice was served on 11 Plc to stop work on the construction of a filling station on the corridor of Bill Clinton Drive, which connects the Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua Expressway to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Our correspondent gathered that the developer of the filling station was coming under the guise of a title document granted to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for the building of the entire airport facilities, claiming to have had a partnership with FAAN to build the station to service the area around the airport.

He said; “But then, we have asked them to stop work because developments like will required a detailed site development plan of the whole of that area because it is a very versed.

“And a structured plan will have to be prepared and so that we know the deleanation of each services that are to be provided to that piece of land. If not, the whole place will be destroyed completely beyond the vision of the Abuja master plan.”

Also speaking on the case of an Army estate under construction in Idu, the development control boss revealed that Army moved into the land on the basis of an Area Council allocation and have taken up to 100 hectares of land.

Kwamkur who said his department has written the Army on the matter, was hopeful of a meeting between the two government organizations to reach an amicable resolve, even as he regretted they (Army) did not approach the authorities to look at status of the land in the Abuja Master Plan and commenced development without necessary permit.

He, however, called on the army to forward their permit for approval, he explained that the FCT Act of 1976 made it clear that all developers, private, institutional of governmental, must receive permit from the deplorable Development Control before embarking on any physical development within the city.

Also explaining another infraction by the military (Nigerian Navy Housing Scheme), along the Airport, Kwamkur, again stated that they got the allocation from Area Council, which had since been quashed by a past FCT Administration, insisting that any allocation with the city must be made by the FCT Minister.

The team also served a quit notice on a Fulani settlement, located off the Airforce Base, near Army Peacekeeping Operation Base on the corridor of the Bill Clinton Drive.

The Acting Director therefore warned: “The city has a master plan and it must be followed to the latter”, even as he called on all developers in Abuja to comply right with all development laws and regulations or face necessary sanctions, including demolition and revocation.

In an effort to reposition land administration, improve service delivery and increase revenue generation, in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola on Wednesday Inaugrated high-powered committee on partnership with financial institutions on land matters.

The committee which was inaugurated is expected to invent ways of increasing the revenue profile of the FCT Administration and also FastTrack processes involved in the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy and other title documents for various individuals in the Federal Capital Territory.

Adesola stated that in view of the dwindling revenue accruable to government as a result of plummeting price in crude oil globally and the increasing demands for social amenities and other infrastructural developments by the citizens, it has becomes imperative for the FCT Administration to think of creative ways of shoring up government revenue to be able to address these challenges.

He hinted that the administration spends fortune annually to keep the city clean but generate only meagre amount, urged residents to begin to pay for services such as sanitation and pipe borne water services the government is rendering to them.

Adesola, however, expressed optimism that the Committee would work assiduously to come up with far reaching recommendations with a view to addressing delay in the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy, other title documents as well as unlock huge revenue stuck in land transactions.

He , therefore, assured residents of the territory that the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello would continue to address all challenges associated with the acquisition of Certificate of Occupancy and other title documents in nation’s capital city.

The Permanent Secretary gave the Committee one week to submit its report for the Administration to take immediate action, reeled out the committee terms of reference to include: review the current challenges related to payment of land fees in the FCT; identify sources of financing the payment of land fees by the title holders, develop framework for partnership with financial institutions by title holder and also come up with recommendations on any other matters related to the above.

Meanwhile , the Chairman of the Committee Barrister Harisu Umar commended the Permanent Secretary for the laudable and proactive initiative of thinking outside the box at a time the country is seriously confronted with acute financial challenges.

Umar assured the Permanent Secretary that the committee would work hard to achieve its terms of reference, while thanking the Permanent Secretary for the confidence reposed in them.

Other members of the Committee are: Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary; Mr. Adewinle Pius, Deputy Director; Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Town Planner Adamu Adamu; Financial Adviser, Mr. Ayodele Olayinka; Assistant Director; Department of Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Mr. Yusuf Jafar, Assistant Director; Mr. Kumatin Ikya, Department of Land Administration, Hassan Zakari, Assistant Director and Mr Abubakar Faskari, Technical Assistant to the Permanent Secretary.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has applauded plans by the Naval Officers’ Wives Association to build a 200 bed maternity and children hospital in the Territory.

While pledging that the Administration will identify a suitable plot of land to site the proposed hospital.

 
Saying, “We will definitely work towards identifying a proper location that you can really quickly move in and start development”. He also called for the possibility of increasing the hospital capacity beyond its proposed 200 bed spaces.

The Minister made this known when the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A.Z Gambo paid a courtesy visit to the FCTA .

Bello also commended the plans of the navy to open the primary and secondary schools located in its barracks at Pegi, Kuje Area Council, to members of the public as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility

He, however, expressed the appreciation of the FCT Administration to the Nigerian Navy for its efforts in the provision of security for the nation’s capital.

 
The Minister said that the Nigerian Navy always participated actively in the FCT Security Committee and the Commanders of its Units in the FCT, were in the forefront of providing the needed operational support during joint operations.

 
In the words of the Minister, “Your Commanders have been very active in our FCT Security Committee. In most instances, when issues come up that require joint operations with other agencies, your Commanders have always been in the forefront of providing the needed support and we thank you very much for that”.

 Eearlier, the Chief of Naval Staff acknowledged the cordial relationship that exists between the FCT Administration and the Nigerian Navy especially in the task of providing security in the FCT.

 
Vice Admiral Gambo expressed happiness at the Administration’s efforts in rehabilitating the Kuje to Pegi road and said that its completion will improve security and commuting along that axis.

He also commended the efforts of the Administration on the construction of the Apo –Karshi road which he said will enhance movement into the city and equally improve the security situation within the city.

 
Also present at the at visit were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, Director of security, FCTA, Mr Adamu Gwary and other senior officers of the Nigerian NAVY and the FCTA.