The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA) has hinted that the agency a total number of 3715 lives were saved in various rescue operations within the same period under review.

While also adding that the agency
was able to salvaged an estimated goods and properties worth over 1.264 billion Naira from market fire outbreaks between January and December 2021.

FEMA Director General, Abbas Idriss, gave this hint at briefing newsmen on the major disasters that occurred in 2021 in the nation’s capital included: flooding, market fires and building collapse.

He stated that 2,025 lives were saved from flooding in the FCT, with the highest figure of 802, coming from the Trademore Estate flood incident in Lugbe, while 5 lives were lost to flooding in the area.

He added that FEMA rescued 1444 persons from various fire rescue operations in the Ebeano Super Market fire, where 74 persons were rescued, the Kugbo furniture market with 102 lives saved and 300 lives from the Gwarimpa old tipper garage fire.

According to him, the Agency recovered 26 vehicles during the rescue operations while,183 houses were submerged during the period under review.

FEMA boss, however, revealed that the Agency recorded an increase in the use of its 112 toll-free emergency number, as it received 173 distress calls in 2021, as against 153 in 2020.

His words; “Between January and December 2021, FEMA responded to 173 distress calls. These calls covered response to flood disasters, fire incidents, collapsed buildings, drowning, gas explosion etc.

“A total number of 3715 lives were saved in various rescue operations within the period under review;
57 persons were however fatally injured during these disasters.

“Other rescue operations attended to in 2021 included incidents of collapsed buildings, where we were able to rescue 17 persons; we however lost 2 lives.

“Drowning incidents claimed one life while we rescued 7 persons from various rivers. We recorded 2 incidents of gas explosion, thankfully no lives were lost. We also lost 7 lives to Military Air crash.

He continued; “The Agency salvaged an estimated goods and properties worth over 1.264 billion naira from market fire outbreaks last year.

“We believe in proactive measures to mitigate disasters; hence we undertook hazard mapping of the FCT, vulnerability assessment as well as deployment of technology in our operations. These greatly enhanced our performance in 2021,” the FEMA boss stated.

Following the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s plans to revive the Tractor Hiring Scheme in the nation’s capital, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), stated that the Secretariat intends to take adequate security measures to track tractor movement to ensure that they are not taken outside the FCT.

This information was revealed by the Secretary during a meeting with Agric Field Engineers at the ARDS Central Workshop in Gwagwalada.

He did, however, express reservations about the Administration’s decision to put the idea on the table, noting that it had failed in the past.

The FCT Administration, according to him is aware of the critical role the provision of the tractors can play in boosting food production which is why it has made provisions in the 2022 budget to procure a total of 12 tractors, which will be fitted with tracking devices to monitor the use and locations of the tractors ensuring that FCT farmers benefit from the programme.

Abubakar however assured that the Secretariat will be looking into the provision of other Agricultural machineries to farmers as a strategy to improve food production and guarantee food security.

According to him; “The Administration is not only looking into the provision of the tractors but also other Agricultural machineries that will enhance productivity.

“We are equally aware of the need for maintenance which is why we will be investing in training our engineers to ensure that all our inputs and machineries are efficiently managed”.

On his part, the Executive Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mustapha Adamu Danze described the visit to the central worksop as an eye opener for the Council, which he assured will be keying into the initiative by the Secretariat.

Hundreds of shanties previously used for residential and commercial purposes, principally by scavengers, dealers, and squatters, were demolished today as part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) enhanced effort to tackle environmental nuisances.

Illegal buildings and scrap materials strewn across a major road network around Angwan Berberi, off Efab Estate, and behind Kado Fish Market, near Lifecamp axis in  Abuja’s Gwarinpa District, were particularly hard hit.

Illegal settlers’ residences erected with sacks inside an undeveloped land next to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Efab Road, by Adebowale Gas Station, in the vicinity were also demolished.

The exercise was carried out by FCTA officials with the assistance of its Security Command and Control Centre, which has over 200 joint personnel and field officers drawing from Development Control Department, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and other relevant agencies.

Speaking on the exercise, Comrade Ikharo Attah, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, said the action followed a complaint sent to the FCT Administration through Command and Control Centre, due to high level of proliferation of shanties, scavengers (aka Baba-Bolas) and others in the area.

He said the FCTA discovered a very worrisome development on the road, which is Cadastral C02 road corridor here in Gwarinpa, which people started building houses on it.

His words ; “We cleared all the shanties and we have marked the houses, and warned people to be aware of two areas they must not build on- road corridors and waterways.

“We have given them enough time to move, some of them we have removed before, and they returned. So we keep giving enough time over and over again, and the question is we have given you enough time, but have you given the government enough time before coming to put illegalities?

“Most of the FCDA road corridors are transit ways not yet constructed, but people have already build on them.

“We have taken notice of all of them; we have gotten their numbers and we are going to be coming very heavily on them. And those who are building on waterways and green areas, we will be coming very heavily against them.

“It is very worrisome when you see a beautiful road corridor that is yet to be constructed , and people are building on it, it is very disturbing. But our appeal is to residents not to allow people come and built kiosks and anything on the road within their neighbourhoods”, he stressed.

Meanwhile, one of the owners of the houses in the area, who claimed to be Barrister, but pleaded anonymity, disclosed that she had bought the land for which she spent not less than three million to develop, the structure.

She expressed shock over the development, as she and her had planned to move into the newly finished house today, only to met their house marked for demolition.

According to her: “we just finished, and we intended to pack in today; we actually spent about 3 million Naira to set this building in this area.

“Actually no notice was given to us, and we acquired the land through the Chief of the village, at the rate of N220,000.00.

“You can see people living in this environment are stranded now, so the government should give us time, since it is not ready to make uss of the road now.

“I wish to appeal that the authorities should give us sufficient notice, because we are human beings and looking at the economic situation of this country, people are just working to eat, as they can’t even pay their rents.”

Similarly, a resident, who simply identified himself as Mr Samson, whose place of residence was demolished, however admitted that most people were aware that the area has been reserved for a major road, linking many parts of the nation’s capital city.

He however adds that ” the major problem we have with them (FCTA officials) is that they didn’t informed us before coming to demolish our houses, so as to enable us remove our belongings, without suffering any loss.”

The Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) FCT branch, Comrade Dr. Stephen Knabayi, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has paid its promotion arrears after months of unrelenting demand.

In a phone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, he hinted at the possibility.

The Chairman stated that the discussion was difficult and lengthy, but that the union was successful in obtaining its requests, and that the money was paid on January 6, 2022.

While revealing that the administration has since cleared the body for the promotion arrears of 2017, Kinabayi stated that the promotion arrears of 2018 were the one that was resolved following their meeting with the Permanent Secretary.

According to him, “The union had a closed door meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA that lasted for several hours, while the union insisted, demanding for the promotion arrears, it was eventually paid”.

After a meeting with the Permanent Secretary on the 2018 promotion arrears we expected this money before now. And now they saw the need to release it. Its all the areas of 2018. You know the teachers are in two fold. You know we have teachers from the secondary School and teachers from the primary Schools. So the payment is for the teachers in the Secondary Schools and we are still discussing with the Area Council Chairmen to see the need of paying for that of LEA teachers ” he said.

It could be recalled that the union under the leadership of Comrade Stephen Knabayi has been demanding for promotion arrears of teachers.

…Calls On Monarchs To Promote Peace

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it will not hesitate to hold traditional leaders responsible for the breakdown of peace in their domains, as they are those closest to the people, just weeks before the 2022 FCT Area Council elections.

While also urging the traditional rulers of the 17 Abuja rated Chiefdoms to promote peace, particularly before and during the Territory’s electioneering process.

Hon. Ibrahim Abubakar Dantshoho, the Mandate Secretary, FCT Area Council Services Secretariat (ACSS), stated this on Thursday in Abuja, implying that graded chiefs must speak to their subjects to ensure that no lives are lost.

Dantshoho, made this known during a ACSS’s familiarisation tour to some FCT Graded Chiefs in Abaji and Kwali Area Councils, while adding that the government is not unmindful of the prevailing security challenges in the country.

He said , “Those involved in acts that breach the peace are known to the people within the various domains of the FCT, he said the Chiefdoms cannot be left out of the quest to foster peace especially in the wake of the prevailing insecurity.

“As the traditional ruler, in your  domain you should talk to your subjects on why there must be peace, as once there is peace a lot of things would be enjoyed. That’s why we are preaching peace.

“In the next five weeks or so we will be having the area council election and the Minister said we should convey this message to you why there must not be any loss of lives , you need to talk to your subjects that irrespective of party differences , there should be peace before, during and even after the elections.

“And if you (graded chiefs) allow anything to happen in your domain the FCT administration will not hesitate to hold you responsible for their action or inaction, and why it was not curtailed.

“We urge you to preach peace to your  people before, during and after the electioneering, so that we will continue to enjoy peace , that the FCT is known for.”

He continued; “We want to continue to have relative peace within the FCT, as few months back most people found it difficult to travel through the Gwagwalada/Abaji/Lokoja road, because of the fear of the unknown, but ever since then, the government has been proactive in tackling the challenge of insecurity.

“And before everyone of you, they (Chiefs) were grateful to the FCT Administration for being proactive in solving the security challenges, especially not too far from the electioneering period.

“As you know, the Hon FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammadu Musa Bello, and Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu have always been on the top of the situation, so we will articulate whatever we have gotten, and put it before them, and I will assure that in no small time, we will  address the issues.”

One of the traditional leaders , the Etsu of Yaba Chiefdom , in Abaji Area Council, Alh. Abdulahi Adamu, advised politicians to ensure that they follow established law and order of the society, in the pursuit of their aspirations.

He said: “What we want is peace with or without elections, because nothing can be done in the atmosphere of crisis .”

He however made a passionate appeal for continuous upgrading of status of graded chiefs in FCT, in order to ensure strategic progression of the traditional institutions.

Meanwhile , the Etsu Wako Chiefdom, in Kwali, Abdulaziz Usman Ibrahim, decried the absence of a Police station and perimeter fencing of schools in the Chiefdom.

He ,however, stressed the need to empower its teeming unemployed youth, equip its Police Post, which has remained unutilised in the area.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has revealed intentions by the Secretariat to strengthen its disease surveillance, detection, reporting, and control system as part of measures to reduce the emergence and spread of animal diseases in the nation’s capital.

Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, the mandate secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, made the comment during a working visit to the FCT Veterinary Clinic in Nyanya.

He was pleased with the status of the Clinic’s facilities, particularly the diagnostic laboratory, which was dedicated in 2021 by the Honourable Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.

 
Abubakar in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Deputy Director, Information, ARDS , Zakari Aliyu commended the Veterinary officials for efficiently managing the facilities at the laboratory which he noted was fully equipped to meet the needs of animal owners and livestock farmers in the FCT.

He, however , stressed the need for animal owners and livestock farmers in the FCT to desist from patronizing quack clinics. In his words, “As you can see, the facilities here are state of the Art and comparable to the best anywhere in the world. I therefore would like to call on residents to patronize the clinics in order to access quality animal Healthcare”

Speaking on the issue of disease prevention and control, the Secretary disclosed that the Secretariat has through the Department of Veterinary Services strengthened its surveillance system to enhance its capacity to detect and combat the outbreak and spread of animal diseases. “We intend to build the capacities of our Veterinary Health officials and Doctors to expose them to the modern trends in disease surveillance and reporting” Abubakar said.

The Visit also took the Secretary to the FCT Fish market at Kado where he directed the Department of Fisheries to ensure that the issues that have prevented the full utilization of the Laboratory be addressed to enable it carry out its responsibilities of conducting daily laboratory tests to ensure the safety of fish sold to the public.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced on Friday that it had met with Chinese contractors working on the AYA-Kugbo-Nyanya Road to discuss ways to reduce excessive traffic congestion.

This follows a horrifying traffic experience for commuters and homeowners on same road axis on Thursday, which lasted for hours due to an emergency detour allegedly created by construction contractors without sufficient information.

The FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah, who accompanied leaders of traffic management agencies to the construction site, said decisions that affect traffic along that road axis should not be taken lightly.

While asking building engineers to always develop synergy with relevant traffic, Attah said that

He hinted that early communication would enable the relevant agencies to massively deplore human resources that will ensure a seamless traffic flow, especially when there is any accidental or construction emergencies. 

He said,  FCTA had demonstrated commitment and support to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing over the road project, and would do more to ensure its completion. 

He went further to commend  the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Nyanya unit Commander, Sabena Musa and her men, for sacrifices they made in controlling the terrifying traffic gridlock.