The  Minister of the federal Capital  Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has reiterated the commitment of the Administration to support staff cooperative housing schemes.

While saying that , one of the greatest desires of a family is to own a house.

He made this known  when he performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the 404 unit staff housing estate of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council’s Cooperative Society at the Wasa District of the FCT yesterday.

According to him; “with the FCTA’s staff strength of over 27000 you will agree with me that so many of our compatriots within the staff structure of the FCT would desire to have their homes.”

He commended the AMMC Staff Cooperative Society for embarking on the project and pledged the support of the FCTA to ensure its completion while calling on other cooperative societies to emulate the foresight of the AMMC Cooperative Society.

Saying, the action of the AMMC Cooperative Society, the Minister said was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda of providing housing to Nigerians in order to bridge the current national housing deficit.

Earlier, the President of the Cooperative Engr Muhammad Hamisu disclosed that the plot measuring 4.2 hectares was allocated in 2015 and will contain 404 housing units made up of 224 flats in one bedroom block of flats. 112 flats contained in 2 bedroom block of flats and 68 flats contained in three bedroom terraces.

He also revealed that the cooperative society was collaborating with the Federal Mortgage Bank and Mutual Alliance Mortgage Bank as the major financiers of the project while the Abuja Property Development Company, (APDC) is the project developer.

The project which is expected to cost 1.5 billion Naira is scheduled to be completed in 2023, Engr Hamisu added.

He also expressed the appreciation of the cooperative to the FCT Minister for granting a waiver on the sum of 9.8 million Naira being the cost of building plan approval fees. He also revealed that the sum of 4.5 million Naira was expended as compensation to the indigenous people affected by the construction.

Present at the event were the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, Executive Secretary, FCDA Engr Umar Gambo Jibrin, Director of Engineering, FCDA, Acting Coordinator, AMMC, Mallam Muhammed Sulaiman, Acting Coordinator Satellite Town Development Department, (STDD) Engr Felix Nwankwo amongst other senior members of staff of the FCTA.

Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, has condemned in a strong terms the abductions of the former Vice Chairman of Kuje Area Council along side some members of the council’s legislative arm by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.  

She , however, described the incident as unfortunate and heinous, while , regretting that the cases of abductions have become so rampant especially in Kuje Area Council of the territory.  

The minister, also assured that the FCT Administration would take drastic measures to address the situation, while appealing to residents of the community to remain calm as efforts are place to recover all kidnapped victims.  

Her words; “It is regrettable and unfortunate that we are still having cases of abductions and kidnappings of innocent citizens in the Federal Capital Territory. It is regrettable because this is the seat of government and we must do everything possible to put to an end this senseless killings and abductions of residents in the territory.  

“However, I want to appeal to residents especially those in the Area Councils to remain calm, as the FCT Administration under the leadership of Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, is working assiduously to protect lives and property of residents. I want to assure you that the security agencies are on top of the situation,” the minister stated.  

It would be recalled that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed Pegi community early hour of Sunday and abducted the Council Vice Chairman, Hon. Mohammed Baba, Legislative members and some political aides.

As Schools in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) resume after seven months of Covid-19 break and anxiety, the is organising a two-day intra-action review workshop in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

The Acting Secretary of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) Dr. Mohammed Kawu, made this known in a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

He hinted that the intra-action review is critical at this point to enable relevant stakeholders to collectively review the current response approach so as to identify challenges, adopt best practices and re-strategize for improved response.

His words; “The review meeting which is expected to hold between October 13 and 14, 2020, “will also help to document lessons learned, share experiences and utilize available evidence to plan for future outbreaks.

“One of the key focus of the workshop will be to build consensus amongst relevant stakeholders with specific target on full decentralization of the response to the Area Councils”.

“Other key targets of the review meeting include improving community engagement and participation in the response, sustaining safety measures in FCT schools, improving enforcement of preventive measures and integrating the distribution of palliatives with the response activities”, he stressed.

It would be recalled that on the 20th of March 2020 the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), confirmed the first COVID-19 case. Following the confirmation, a multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated to coordinate the outbreak response in collaboration with Partners.

Dr. Kawu pointed out that the response strategy is based on an Incident Management System (IMS) with thematic areas focusing on Surveillance and Epidemiology, Laboratory, Infection Prevention and Control, Health and Safety, Case management, Risk communication, Logistics, Coordination, and Research.

“An incident action plan (IAP) was developed to guide the response with an overarching goal of containing the spread of COVID-19 in the FCT”, he said.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced fumigation of all public schools across the six Area Councils of the nation’s capital ahead of school resumption slated for Monday 11th, October, 2020.

FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, while performing a symbolic exercise at the Government Junior Secondary School, Garki said that the exercise was aimed at protecting and save guiding pupils, students and management staff of public schools against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.  

Aliyu also used the occasion to call on operators of private schools in the territory to carry out the same exercise before school resumption while also tasked parents and guardians to ensure that their wards are properly kitted before going to school.  

According to her; “We are here to symbolically flag off the fumigation exercise as collectively decided and championed by the Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello. Earlier in the day, we had a press conference on the need for the schools to be opened on Monday for academic activities.  

“So, to that effect and in adherence to extant rules of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to ensure that there are adequate safety and care for our children. So we are embarking on the fumigation of our schools.  

“The Minister is also doing the same thing at JSS Jabi. So, from today, the whole public schools in the Federal Capital Territory will be simultaneously fumigated until Monday when we are ready for resumption”.  

While speaking on the fate of private schools, the minister said, “As for the private schools, of course, there is a criteria for resumption and most of them are complying. And any school found wanting, there are standards for disciplinary action to be taken. But for now, we are good to go”.  

Also, the principal of Government Junior Secondary School, Garki, Mrs. Mohammed Fatima, expressed the preparedness of her school to resume academic activities as announced by the authorities.  

Her words; “We are very prepared as you can see for yourself. We are perfectly prepared. The grasses are trimmed, fumigation is going on, we have our wash hand basins, sanitizers, liquid  soaps and face masks. In short everything is on ground”.  

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has halt the payment of third term school fee across the territory.

While warning private school owners not to demand money from parents or guardians.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on Thursday gave this order at a press conference to herald the reopening of all schools across the Federal Capital Territory on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, for 2020/2021 Academic Session.

While explaining that boarding schools are to resume on Sunday, while Day schools would resume on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020.

The minister added that the decision to reopen schools had been probably one of the most painstaking decision that the FCT administration had to take as team.

His words; “In opening of schools we have to be very careful and conscious of the need to ensure that all the efforts of all of us during the last few months are not in vein.

“Based on the reality on ground as well as the inputs and advice of medical personnel and the guidelines of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF) and releases from the Federal Ministry of Education.

He continued; “We have come to the conclusion that it is relatively safe for us to open up schools in the FCT base on certain guidelines and conditions which will be release shortly.”

Bello, however, noted that the gathering of young people and children within enclosed environment posed very peculiar challenges that requires handling with utmost care caution particularly by the schools and education administrators.

He, therefore, enjoined parents, guardians and stakeholders to compliment the efforts of the FCT administration by further creating awareness and sensitisation of their people and wards on the needs to adhere strictly to health guidelines.

He also, warned that the virus had not been eliminated and it was still a deadly disease, saying “now is therefore not the time for us to be complaisant.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman FCT Schools Resumption Committee, Dr Fatima Abdulrahman, who read the guidelines for the post COVID-19 school resumption disclosed that there was no going to be third term.

Abdulrahman directed schools to conduct revision and examination to tidy up and end second term within two weeks.

She , however, warned private schools owners against demanding for third term fees, adding that maximum class size should be 25 students per class.

She said that the FCT administrator had suspend all activities that encourages crowding and clustering in schools.

Abdulrahman further stated that every school should have a sick bay where students with high temperature would be kept under the supervision of health personnel until their parents come for them.

She warned that any school that does not comply with the guidelines and an outbreak occurs in the school due to negligence, risk closure.

TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has revealed plans to convert one of its abandoned broadcasting facilities at Abaji Area Council of the territory to a training centre for media practitioners.

Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Managing Director, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Ltd, Mr. Ibrahim Damisa, said this would be made possible if only the recommendation on the abandoned broadcasting facilities at Abaji is considered.

He made this known in Abuja during a tour of facilities of the Abuja Broadcasting Corporation Ltd, Headquarters by the FCT Ministers Press Corps, on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the management team of the station has recommended to the FCT Minister , the need to convert the station’s abandoned facilities to a training centre where media practitioners’ capacity would be built through regular training.

” We are looking at how we can use our facilities at Abaji to build capacity for journalists, if our recommendations are accepted, we shall proceed to establish a training school there”, he said.

Damisa also frowned at the damaging effects of fake news on the image of the country, as being promoted by citizen journalists on social media , while urging professional media practitioners to remain distinguished and always be committed to the ethics of the profession.

He attributed the rapid transformation in the station to the resolve of the Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello to revive all revenue generating agencies under his administration, he equally reiterated commitment to the welfare of staff , which he said was utmost to the sustainability of the on going transformation.

He, therefore, called on policy makers to always recognise media practitioners as well as carry them along in policies implementation.

Saying, implementation of many of government’s policies fail, when the media is not properly incorporated into the processes and also empowered to bridge the communication gap between government and the people.

Damisa ,however, opined that the backlash that followed the recent increments in electricity tarrif, petrol pump prices, even the subsidy removal was because the media were not recognised as a stabilising factor.

According to him; ” you are the ones bringing the communication gap between the people and the government. When it comes to communications, journalists play a very good role, they play the role of preparing the minds of the people to be receptive to the policy implementation.

” When electricity tarrif was increased the journalists were not recognise, the journalists would have taken sensitization about the increment to the people.

” We need to know as reporters what the government is doing so that it can be properly communicated to the people, especially on the issue of subsidy removal , the journalists need to prepare the mind of the people “

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the FCT Minister Press Corps, Comrade Attah Ikharo noted that what the media organisation have on ground, the station will compete favourably with sister organisations both within and outside the FCT.

The Chairman who was represented at the occasion by his Vice Chairman, Alhaji Hudu Yakubu said the visit was in recognition of the noticeable achievements in the media organisation.