The Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, has urged the newly inaugurated Mandate Secretaries, heads of relevant agencies and departments to key into the urban renewal agenda of the administration.
The Minister who gave the advice in Abuja Nigeria’s capital explained that the urban renewal agenda of the administration was aimed at the restoration of provisions of the Abuja Masterplan, waste management, city cleanliness and environmental protection.
He also enjoined the secretaries to get acquainted with basic public service rules and government procurement guidelines as well as embrace the values of teamwork and effective horizontal communication and cooperation.
According to Bello, the issue of public transportation is also high on the FCT administration agenda.
He said that his administration was determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past where government’s direct involvement in managing public transportation cost it astronomical sums of money with very little concomitant benefits.
” New strategies therefore need to be evolved where private organisations will take the drivers’ reigns and the government drives the policies and creates the enabling environment.
” Closely associated with public transportation are the issues of street and traffic lights. A lot of difficulties associated with this sector emanates from challenges from public power supply, theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure.
” We are therefore working to retrofit these facilities with solar power at a huge cost while seeking innovative ideas to prevent theft and vandalism.”
The minister also enjoined the mandate secretaries to be creative and innovative in attempts to overcome the challenges with a view to fulfil mandate to the residents of the FCT.
” We must continue to build on the successes recorded in our education and health sectors while we make concerted efforts to expand on the provision of infrastructural facilities.
” We also intend to complete all on-going infrastructural and road projects in the satellite towns and also meeting our objective in the Agricultural and Rural Development Sectors.”
In his remark, the Mandate Secretary of Education Secretariat, Alhaji Sani El-Katazu, expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for approving his appointment based on the recommendation of the FCT Minister.
El-Katazu pledged to consolidate on the achievements recorded in the FCT education sector.
Nnenna.O
