The Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, North Central Nigeria, Barr Nyesom Wike, says the administration has concluded plans to reintroduce monthly sanitation as part of strategies to keep the city clean.
The Minister stated this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling different projects in the FCT.
He said that he had already briefed President Bola Tinubu on the idea that at least two Saturdays in a month would be declared for sanitation from 7a.m. to 10 a.m.
He explained that the move would enable companies supporting the FCT with logistics to go to market, and other public places to evacuate refuse.
According to him, for Abuja to be clean, everybody has to cooperate.
“We must all make sacrifices. There is nothing like we are going to suffer. You also contribute to refuse.
“So, if you spare three hours on a Saturday at home, to clear the refuse and bring them out for us to evacuate and dispose, then that is the little way you can help.
“We are appealing to you (residents) to cooperate with us so we can achieve our goals.”
On streetlights, the minister said that there were some improvements: “We are not there yet, but I can assure you that everywhere in Abuja will be lit up.”
For those who have distorted the Abuja Master Plan, Wike said that the issue would soon be addressed.
He added that the Federal Capital Territory Administration was working out which areas the parks and the greens were supposed to be and those that were built on.
He also said that the government would look into those who refused to develop their plots for many years.
Wike said that the President Tinubu-led administration would not continue to allow undeveloped land across the city where criminals were taking refuge.
“How can you have empty land in the city and allow people to build shanties on them because you did not develop them.
“Some properties were built for 20 years but not completed. Go and see what is happening there. Criminals have taken over the place, and as a serious government, we will not allow that.
“We want to make Abuja a safe environment, but we can’t do it alone; we require the support of every stakeholder,” the minister said.
He also said that attention would be given to satellite towns beginning with a visit to the areas to determine the needs and decide on what can be done to improve their facilities and infrastructure.
He pointed out that there was no funding to intervene in all the satellite towns at the same time but one at a time subject to the availability of funds.
“It is unfortunate that contracts were awarded in virtually all the satellite towns, but where is the funding? The funding is not there,” Wike said.
He said that what was approved for FCT in the 2022 national budget was N15 billion for “not less than a trillion naira worth of contracts”, stressing the need for the ministry to prioritise its spending.
Shakirat Sadiq
