The Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has asked officials of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to step up efforts to reduce the incidence of out-of-school children.
The minister stated this when the Commission’s Secretary, Dr Hamid Bobboyi and other Commission members visited him in Abuja on Thursday.
Wike told the officials to be committed to areas of school construction and renovations as being experienced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under his watch.
He explained that the initiative will help to tackle the menace of some children roaming in the street, constituting threat to security.
On land request tabled by the commission’s officials, Wike said FCT Administration would not give land to people to sell or not develop, but to genuine people with proven capacity to commence work on the land.
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The Minister regretted that most people, after getting land allocation from the administration, will keep it for years without development, even selling it to others.
Wike said, “We can give land only to people with proven capacity to commence immediate development, not for people to go and either sale it or keep it for years without commencing development.
“When you request for land and you are given, start work on it, this will help in combating illegal activities on the land especially hoodlums from converting such areas to their houses.
“UBEC should be concerned on resolving the issue of out-of-school children; insecurity can’t be resolved if children remain at home and are allowed to be roaming in the street.”
Responding, the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi said the visit was to remind the minister about the land request sent to the minister.
Bobboyi urged the Wike to help officials of the commission to have a place where they will live after retirement.
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