‘We Have Good Working Relationship With FCTA,’ Says Council Chairmen

The Area Council Services Secretariat and the six Area Council Chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory have denied media reports that the councils’ authorities were making decisions and enforcing policies without contacting higher authorities.

According to the reports, area council chairmen make decisions without consulting the Minister of State’s office, which oversees the councils’ activities and other auxiliary concerns, or FCT lawmakers in the National Assembly, who oversee the FCT Administration.

However, in a fast response, both the area council and the FCT Area Council Services Secretariat condemned the claims as malicious and a deliberate attempt to pit area council chairs against the FCT Minister of State’s office and National Assembly deputies.

Mischief makers and political adversaries are set on sowing seeds of conflict between the office of the Minister of State and the council chairmen, according to a joint press statement issued by the six area council chairmen and the FCT Area Council Services Secretariat.

Abdullahi Adamu Candido, the chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, who signed on behalf of the council chairmen said; “our attention has been drawn to a news item trending in both traditional and social media platforms orchestrated by some disgruntled characters. Ordinarily, the authorities of the area councils would have ignored the entire report and remain taciturn, but silent is consent.

The statement read in bits; “The publication is a desperate attempt to plant seed of discord between Her Excellency and the council chairmen and must not be allowed to stay. We will not take her motherly love for granted. We are very loyal to her and have never had it so good till her coming. Therefore, nobody should disturb this peace.

“If reporters or media organisations have personal issue with any chairman, they should go and settle their matters, and not drag other council’s chairmen into it by discrediting the entire body. We should be rational on issues and not be laced with emotions or ignorance on matters that often times we know nothing about.

“We are therefore, calling on our people to disregard the malicious publication aimed at overheating the system. We will not be deter in carrying out our constitutional mandates of providing welfare and security to our people”.

The council authorities also pledged their loyalty to representatives of the National Assembly who oversight the activities and workings of the FCT Administration, stressing that no amount of cheap blackmail would deter them from working for the common good of rural communities.

According to him, “we are not just loyal to Her Excellency, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, but also to our esteemed representatives at the National Assembly. As area council heads, we cannot work in silos if we must deliver dividends of democracy to our residents.

On her part, the Ag. Secretary FCT Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun, also discredited the report, affirming that both the Area Council and the secretariat are having a harmonious relationship in driving the policies of the administration.

“To state the obvious, the secretariat is amazed at the immeasurable phew of the reporters and its sponsors in conjuring events and hallucinating conversations that are not related to the subject matter. They could be best described as an indefatigable genius in dishing out tissues of lies.

“And to set the records straight, let me state categorically here that, we enjoy harmonious relationship with the six area councils in the territory. We advice them to please carryout their individual background checks on the activities of these revered bodies with the able supervision of the Honourable Minister of State”, she added.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has increased its efforts to successfully address the long-standing problem of arbitrarily nonfunctional traffic installations in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

To that aim, the recently passed 2021 FCT Appropriation, which is currently awaiting presidential approval, contains sufficient funding to allow procurement processes to begin.

While speaking on behalf of the administration, Usman Musa Yahaya, Acting Secretary, FCTA Transportation Secretariat, hinted that this will result in a tangible improvement in the repair of non-functional traffic signal installations in new areas

On Monday in Abuja, he informed journalists at a press conference about the state of traffic light installations across the Territory.

Yahaya noted that 62 of the 172 traffic signal installations are currently operational and are positioned at various intersections across multiple districts.

He stated that because Abuja is a planned territory and a modern
city, successive administrations of the Federal Capital Territory have diligently exerted concerted efforts, through the Transportation Secretariat, to install traffic light installations on world-class roads provided by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

According to him; “I must state that the Transportation Secretariat has not watched without taking any action, the concerns of residents on the state of this critical component of traffic light management.

” Regrettably, as many as 110 are at various levels of non-functional condition.Twenty-Five (25 nos.) out of the 110 are currently undergoing rehabilitation while some have been packaged for procurement for fresh signalization within the 2021 FCT Appropriation.

“The Transportation Secretariat has been receiving, with great concern, feedback from residents on the status of the traffic light installations particularly the non-functional ones as well as yearnings for installation of more at intersections having difficult traffic situations.

“With the support of the Permanent Secretary and approval granted by the Honourable Minister, adequate provision was made in the recently passed 2021 FCT Appropriation which is awaiting Presidential assent to pave way for the commencement of procurement processes that will ultimately translate to tangible improvement”, he stressed.

He continued: “Part of the challenges the Transportation Secretariat has faced in the proper management of the Traffic Light Installations include knocking down of the installations by motorists and subsequent vandalization of the components by criminals.

“This warranted the adoption of a new but strenuous strategy of installing the Traffic Light which involves welding of the components to prevent vandals from further vandalization of the parts; Lack of spare parts for routine maintenance which will be addressed as soon as the procurement process is completed.

” Effort has been made in the 2021 FCT Appropriation with further assurance from Management of adequate funding going forward”.

Civil officials have been exhorted to be committed to selfless and efficient service delivery at all levels in order to foster good governance and the country’s embryonic democracy.

This charge was given on Monday in Abuja by Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, the Acting Director of the FCTA Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement.

Journalists at Kaura District Market presented Ahmadu with a birthday package as part of the activities that started off her week-long birthday celebration.

The Director, who was recently honored by the Federation’s Head of Civil Service for quality and transparency in service delivery, stated that excellent governance can be achieved when the civil service is properly reformed and staff are suitably motivated.

Ahmadu, who was caught aback by the journalists’ outpouring of love and had to hold back her tears, promised that she would make more sacrifices to help the media propagate good governance ideas.

Earlier, Comrade Ikharo Attah, Chairman of the FCT Ministers Press Corps, who led the ambush, highlighted the significance of rewarding devoted civil servants who work hard to keep the government running smoothly.

Attah explained that the surprise birthday package was a measure to recognize honesty and hardworking which Dr. Jumai Ahmadu personifies. 

He also added that the Nigerian project can be better promoted, when critical stakeholders begin to  identify those who make impact in the society and encouraging them.

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has advised citizens of the nation’s capital, particularly the Muslim Ummah, to be aware that a third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic is possible.

He, however assured that steps have been put in place to prevent its spread, citizens must also protect themselves by following the non-pharmaceutical preventive measures of facial covering, hand washing, and physical distance.

Bello gave this advise in his Eid-el-kabir message to the people of Abuja, the nation’s capital, while adding that residents are once more encouraged to enjoy the celebrations from the safety of their homes as attendance of large gatherings increases the risk of contacting the virus.

His message read thus: “The Sallah celebration provides us with the unique opportunity to offer supplications to Almighty Allah for the continuous growth and development of our country. Let us therefore pray for peace and the collective ability to surmount our current challenges.

“I encourage us to use this occasion to meditate on, and give expression to the lifestyle of Prophet Ibrahim especially on the virtues of sacrifice and selflessness which Eid-el-Kabir symbolizes.

“As residents of our nation’s capital, we should consider it our obligation to live up to the dreams and ideals of our founding fathers who also made enormous sacrifices in the quest of making Abuja the Center of Nigeria’s unity and a melting pot of our various cultures, traditions and ideas.

“It is imperative therefore that we imbibe these ideals of sacrifice and nation building as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and our founding fathers to build an FCT and Nigeria of our collective desires”.

He continued: “This is quite possible especially with dedication, commitment and singularity of purpose from all of us.

“In the same vein I appeal to you all to be security concious in the course of the festivities and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies

“Residents should however be rest assured that the FCT Administration is doing its best to ensure the security of lives and property both during and after the festivities”.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has assured residents of the nation’s capital that they will be safe and secure during the upcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebrations (FCTA).

The Permanent Secretary, FCTA Mr Olusade Adesola, provided this assurance at the monthly FCT Security Committee meeting.

Patrol activities and intelligence operations will be expanded, according to Olusade, who presided over the meeting. These activities will be carried out separately and together by the various security organizations in the FCT.

The Permanent Secretary, while speaking on some of the meeting’s highlights and resolutions, stated that the security agencies had reiterated their resolve to work together as a family for the Territory’s security, and that this was largely responsible for the Territory’s peace and stability.

With the recent arrest of the leaders of a major “one-chance” gang responsible for many illicit acts in the FCT, he also revealed that security services had made achievements in the fight against organized crime.

 
Speaking on the on-going removal of shanties, squatter settlements and illegal residences along the airport road Olusade said the exercise which will extend to other illegal settlement across the FCT is intended to ensure that hoodlums that have hitherto dominated those environment will no longer have bases from which to operate.

 
The Permanent Secretary, “if you don’t have any legitimate business, you cannot use Abuja as your safe haven”.

 
The meeting, the Permanent Secretary said, also reviewed the public health issues of Cholera and Covid-19 and said the Committee was impressed with the efforts of the FCTA health authorities in tackling cholera and reminded residents that treatment for the disease is administered free based on the directives of the FCT Minister.

 
He urged residents to continue to follow the prescribed non-pharmaceutical intervention which include facial coverings, constant hand washing and physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 
Olusade also said that the issue of street begging and its security implications was also discussed and called on  residents to desist from giving alms to beggars on the streets as this will only encourage an increase in the practice.

 
According to him; “We also discussed the issue of the proliferation of street beggars. We know it is indeed a rising social problem. But what we enjoin the citizens to do is to make their alms in a legal manner. Go to the hospitals, go to the places of worship, go to the orphanages and make your support there. This will be used for better purpose, because when you give a beggar you don’t know his antecedents as any alms given on the road,   could be used for drugs or even arms.

 
He also called on residents to cooperate with security agencies and fellow citizens to safeguard lives and property in the FCT.

Similarly, the Commander, Defence Headquarters Garrison, Maj. Gen. Preye Fakrogha said a lot of emphasis was being placed on synergy amongst security agencies to enhance security operations in the FCT.

The FCT Security Committee is comprised of heads of the various military and paramilitary formations across the FCT, the heads of religious and traditional institutions, Area Council Chairman as well as heads of the relevant Departments and Agencies of the FCTA.

…As FCT Gives COVID-19 Guidelines For EID-EL-KABIR Celebration

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has mandated that all Eid prayers in the nation’s capital be held in open spaces at Jumaat Mosques and the National Eid Ground.

According to medical advice, holding big meetings in open air spaces rather than enclosed facilities is safer.

Bello revealed this when he called an Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on COVID-19 to assess the present state of the pandemic in the nation’s capital,particularly as it relates to the upcoming Sallah celebrations.

The meeting observed an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases throughout the country and the FCT, as well as the risk of a third wave, and discussed strategies to stop it spreading.

As a result, the following guidelines are hereby provided for the upcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebrations in the FCT, based on the advise of health professionals: All Eid prayers in the FCT are to be held in the open spaces at Jumaat Mosques as well as the National Eid Ground. This is based on medical advice that it is safer to hold large gatherings in  open  air spaces than in enclosed structures; All open Eid grounds should have multiple entry and exit points with hand washing and temperature checking facilities; The holding capacity of Eid grounds should be reduced to 50% to ensure physical/social distancing;
 

The guidelines continued : Imams should ensure that sermons are short so that the entire Eid prayers do not exceed one hour; All parks and recreational grounds and facilities shall remain closed throughout the festive period, and
Worshippers are enjoined to adhere to all prescribed non-pharmaceutical preventive measures of facial coverings, constant hand washing and physical distancing.
 

In attendance at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the Coordinator, WHO FCT Office, Dr Furera  Zakari, the Ag Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Muhammed Kawu, the Chairman, FCT League of Imams Initiative, Dr Tajudeen M.B Adigun ,the Head of Media and Publicity , FCT Enforcement Task Team, Mr Ikharo Attah and other relevant officials of the FCTA.