TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has charged the six Area Council Chairmen to focus on human capital Development in the developmental agenda of their domains.
The Minister gave thus charge when the six Council Chairmen paid him a working visit in his office, while charging them on the principles of leadership and responsibility to their people.
He, however, reminded them that governance at the Local Government level, being closest to the people, is very critical for the overall development of the Territory.
While commending the Council Chairmen for doing well in their various domains, he however charged them to do more and focus a lot of their attention on human capital development through three main components of primary education, environmental sanitation and public health. These three components, the Minister said, were the bedrock of development in any community.
Bello further hinted that a clean environment and a functional primary health care system will mean less people in the communities will become ill with common ailments and will thus become more productive in the farms and other social and entrepreneurial endeavors.
He stated that , “All of us will finish our tenures and we will still live within the communities. This is the time to upgrade your communities and focus on human capital development”.
Bello said that making major changes in the communities do not necessarily require massive funding. What is required, the minister said, was a massive re-orientation and mobilization of the people.
He urged them to deploy the same amount of energy and methods utilized during political campaigns to mobilize the people into the development of their communities.
Doing this required purposeful and a hands-on leadership approach from the Area Council Chairmen themselves. “Nothing prevents you from supervising the cleaning of the streets yourselves” he said.
Speaking further, Bello said “You all have markets and market unions, yet there is refuse everywhere. These are areas where you can show leadership by ensuring they are clean.”
He also drew a parallel between environmental sanitation and development. In his words “If your communities are clean, it will encourage people to develop properties there because there will be no difference between your community and the city center. And as it develops the standard of living will increase, and encourage revenue generation. But the initial efforts has to come from you”.
The Minister called on them to return to the fundamentals of governance and not expend scarce resources on the construction of massive structures while also urging them to follow all extant financial regulations, including all procurement laws.
On security, the Minister said the Administration was stepping up security across the FCT as additional police formations are being opened across the Territory.
He however urged the Council Chairmen to support the efforts of the security men posted to their areas.
On community policing, he asked the Council Chairmen to avoid sentiments in the selection process into the community constabularies. He urged them to only engage those who are suitably qualified.
Speaking earlier, the Chairmen of FCT ALGON and Chairmen of Gwagwalada Area Council, Adamu Mustapha Danze, said the Council Chairmen were at the FCTA on a working visit to the FCT Minister and pledge their support to the Administration for all its developmental efforts and accomplishments in the Territory.
Other Area Council Chairmen present were Hon. Adamu Candido (AMAC) Abdulrahman Ajiya (Abaji), John Gabaya Shekwogwaza (Bwari) Danladi Chiya (Kwali) and Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo (Kuje).
Also present at the meeting were the Honourable Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, the Chief Of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Borno, the Executive Secretary of FCDA, Engr Umar Gambo Jibrin, the Ag Secretary of the Area Council Services Secretariat Mrs. Omololu Olanipekun and other senior members of the FCTA.
