The Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has called on the newly constituted House of Representative’s Committee on FCT to support and consolidate on the ongoing reforms by ensuring a speedy passage of bills that are critical to the development of the Territory.
Barrister Wike stated this during the Inaugural Meeting of the 10th National Assembly’s House Committee on FCT held at Room 301 of the Assembly Complex in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola, identified the bills in urgent need of passage as; Abuja Geographic Information System Bill, FCT College of Nursing and Midwifery Establishment Bill, Federal Capital Territory Abuja Metropolitan Council Establishment Bill 2019 and the Federal Capital Territory College of Agriculture and other related Bill.
Others are a Bill to provide for the FCT HIV/AIDS Control Agency, Federal Capital Territory Orphanage (Registration & Regulatory) Agency Bill 2020, Federal Capital Territory Social Health Insurance Scheme Bill as well as Federal Capital Territory Educational Resource Centre (Establishment) Bill 2019.
The Permanent Secretary noted that with a Territory that now has two experienced revenue generation gurus in the persons of Wike and the House Committee Chairman Rt. Hon. Aliyu Betara, the Territory is now better poised to making more revenue like never before.
To achieve the objective, the Minister called for the collaboration of the legislative arm of government saying “the reform measures we are currently implementing are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents of the FCT and addressing the challenges posed by our rapidly evolving society.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Aliyu Betara expressed hope that with the revenue drive of the Hon. Minister of FCT, the revenue target of the FCT in 2023 could easily be surpassed.
He assured the FCT leadership of a seamless working relationship towards greater advancement of the Territory.
The Committee Chairman further expressed delight at President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove FCT from the Single Treasury Account and creation of the FCT Civil Service Commission.
In their separate contributions, most of the members present at the meeting took turns to ask the FCT Minister to decongest the City Centre and to carry out the restoration of the city’s Master plan with a human face among several other things.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied by the Acting Director of Treasury, Mrs. Nanre Emeje and the Director, Office of the Permanent Secretary Mr. Samuel U. Atang.
