The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • ‘We’re committed to Idu industrial estate project’

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has assured that the ongoing Idu Industrial Estate infrastructure project will be completed to boost economic activities in the FCT and create much-needed employment opportunities for the teeming residents.

    The Minister, who gave these assurances in Abuja when he paid a visit to the estate, said the administration is working out arrangements to see how the financial and other challenges faced by the contractors at the construction site can be surmounted to ensure its speedy completion.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media), Abubakar Sani, the minister while explaining that the Estate falls in line with the projects that the FCT Administration has resolved to give priority due the great bearing it has on the largest number of people in the FCT, said many Nigerian companies – over a hundred of them have been fully mobilized and are working daily at the estate providing jobs and generating economic activities.

    According to the Minister, “The purpose of this visit today is to see how we can quickly complete the remaining infrastructure work here in line with the administration’s desire to complete all on-going massive infrastructure projects that will have great bearing to the largest number of people and I’m very happy with what I’ve seen. The project had suffered funding setbacks over the last four years, which is understandable. But we are working out arrangements to see how these challenges can be surmounted.”

    He said: “The Idu Industrial Estate is the largest estate in Abuja, which has been under construction infrastructure wise for quite some time. But as you can see, substantial work has been done. I understand the infrastructure already done here is over 70 per cent completed”.

    The FCT Minister, however, advised residents who put up illegal settlements around the estate to start making arrangements to leave the area, in order to pave way for infrastructure development.

    Bello who noted that the illegal settlement sprang up late after the project had commenced, due to the demand for labour at the construction site, said they have been informed that they would need to leave for work to continue.

    He said, “Obviously the village and any other village within the Abuja area, once development reaches that village, it has to move. That is something that is well known, accepted by law, accepted by convention and accepted by all the citizens of the FCT because we all agree that this is going to be the centre of unity. We are developing this place for office, for residences, for markets, for industrial parks like this one.

    The FCT Minister also appealed to those who have allocations in the areas that have been fully serviced with infrastructure in the Estate to quickly commence development of these plots or risk losing them.

    “I want to use the medium of this visit to appeal to those who already have plots here that have been allocated for which infrastructure has already reached their plot, to quickly come and commence development or else, we will apply all the rules and regulations regarding the allocations given to them.

    “The beauty of allocations is that there are terms and conditions and so many companies, both local and foreign have contacted us seeking for land to develop and as an administration, each new factory that is opened here is a blessing to all of us because it brings in needed employment and economic activity,” Bello stated.

    The Idu Industrial Estate is designed to accommodate about 222 plots of industrial land. Available statistics show that out of this number, 84 plots have been fully developed, 34 on-going while owners of the remaining 104 plots are yet to commence development.

     

  • ‘World Bank waiting for Katampe PPP project’

    The Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Chidi Izuwa, has disclosed that the World Bank is waiting for the success of the Katampe District Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) engineering infrastructure project as a model which it can spread round the world.

    Izuwa revealed this in his remark at the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Implementation Committee on the Report of the Audit of the Structure and Financing of the PPP Project for the Development of Engineering Infrastructure at Katampe District, Phase 2, of Abuja.

    In his words, it is “because of the uniqueness of Katampe PPP project, especially the land value capture that the World Bank is still waiting for the success of the project as a model which it can spread to the world.”

    Izuwa counselled that the PPP project is the only option for meeting the infrastructure deficit in the FCT given that only 11 of the 72 districts in the FCT has full infrastructure. He noted that it is only by this kind of creative and innovative policies being embarked upon by the FCT Minister that Abuja can become the tourism and investment hub of Africa.

    The ICRC Acting DG noted that FCT hosts one of the most successful PPP projects in Nigeria, as demonstrated by the Garki Hospital PPP initiative which is one of its kind, as it involve the health sector. He said if FCT can make PPP work, it would be easy for the states of the Federation to copy.

    In his keynote address at the event, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello said “For us at the FCT Administration, this is a project we want to succeed simply because it will open the way for us to be able to replicate it in similar projects within the city.

    He expressed dismay that a very laudable project faced excruciating problems because of poor packaging and implementation. In doing this, the Minister noted, the Administration was taking into account the fact that the past system of developing the city based on budgetary allocation is no longer sustainable, simply because the funds are not there.

    He said, “Already, we are talking of Phase 5 of the city, whereas, except for Phase 1, there has been no significant development of infrastructure in Phases 2, 3 and, indeed, Phase 4.”

    He used the occasion to thank all the partnering ministries and agencies from where the 17-member Committee was constituted for agreeing to participate in the implementation committee. They include the Ministries of Finance, Justice, Power, and Works and Housing, the Accountant-General’s Office as well as the ICRC.

    He paid special tribute to Committee Chairman Engr. Babagana Zanna for accepting to come back to serve in spite of the very strenuous work he did earlier as Chairman of the Audit Committee.

    The terms of reference of the Committee, the Minister stated include to renegotiate the structure, scope and financing of the project to ensure compliance with the PPP principles as well as to ensure accountability fairness and value for money. The Committee is also expected to repackage the Katampe project in order to bring back the contractors to site. He pledged to continue to open the line for finance so that the project will be done and to see people building their houses and moving in.

    Bello however used the occasion to thank the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye for having driving the process from the very beginning up to the present stage, and wished him well as he retires next week. He also announced him as an ex-officio member of the committee “in order to contribute his experiences and guidance to the project,” he stated.

    In his response, the Chairman of the Committee, Engr. Babagana Zanna thanked the FCT Minister for the confidence reposed in him and the members of the Committee and pledged to do their best to meet the expectations of the Administration and the residents.

  • Minister inaugurates 300 housing units

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has commissioned 300 affordable housing units and laid the foundation for the development of another 300 in Kaba District, Abuja.

    The Minister said the FCT Administration embarked on the project to give teeth to President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in tackling housing deficits in the country and ensuring good shelter for all.

    He added, saying, “We started with reforming the institutional framework for housing development in the Territory with a view to making it possible for private investors to move in…because of our belief that government alone cannot provide all the houses that the people need.

    “It is interesting to note that for as low as 6, 12 or 16 million naira, young, middle or higher level officers could subscribe to houses that fit their income after an initial modest down-payment according to terms corresponding to their mortgage arrangement.

    “I am glad to note that beside the provision of houses the agency is creating jobs for a considerable number of skilled and unskilled workers. I am aware that this estate has over 700 construction professionals and artisans working here.

    “I must inform us that Abuja is a mature city now and like all mature cities, the idea of empty plots has become a far cry. Indeed, phases I to III of the city has been fully allocated while what remains of phases IV and V is all we have currently. Consequently, the FCTA is emphasizing allocations to groups and institutions as well as high-rise developments to use the few spaces remaining to benefit the greatest number”.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye who represented the Minister disclosed there was “no housing deficit in Abuja, but there is deficit in affordable housing. Go everywhere, you see estates locked up, and fanciful estates that people cannot afford to buy.

    “That is why we are doing this. One bed room is N6 million, two bed room starts from N10 to N12 million. It is affordable, with the help of the Federal Mortgage Bank that we give our civil servants loan and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loan Board is there for our civil servants to access loans and be able to afford this. So these are the kinds of things we are asking people to do, not to build houses that are not affordable”.

    On the issue of private developers taking land for mass housing and selling it, the Minister affirmed: “That has stopped. That is why the Honourable Minister has suspended mass housing allocation. We are sorting out all these, talking to developers.

    “The era of where people take land and sell is over. Now, you don’t take land and receive title. If you want to develop now, you have lease agreement for development. It is when we know that you are serious, may be up to three years that we start talking about giving you title. So everything is restructured now. It is not like before.

    Executive Director, Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB), Dr. Hannatu Fika while delivering good will message noted that effective housing has multiplier effect on our economy through direct and indirect employment, adding that affordable housing has potentials including good health, reduced anxiety, depression and security”, among others.

    She further in her good will message, she revealed that that was why FGSHLB did float a “revolving loan scheme to cater for the housing needs of all interested public servants”, adding that the board has “developed a strategy to collaborate with estate developers identified by public servants themselves”.

    Acting Managing Director, Abuja Property Development Company (APDC), Mr. Yunusa Yusuf in his vote of thanks disclosed that the “commissioning of the first 300 units in APDC Capital Estate marks gradual completion of the provision of 615 housing units in phase I of the estate”.

     

     

     

     

  • One government, two presidencies?

    It is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari has been away consulting his doctors in the United Kingdom since May 7. His absence has fueled some controversies resulting in some fake reports claiming that he was dead or permanently incapacitated.

    Against the speculations, Buhari last week Sunday received some governors and All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in London followed by another enlarged delegation comprising some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Wednesday.

    The President was seen in pictures with the delegations, sitting with the first delegation while standing and sitting with the second delegation.

    But before the two visits to the President in London, there appeared to be a kind of scheming and power play at the seat of power that have not been easy for many political analysts to unravel.

    What was playing out was somehow turning some sitting senators to prophets.

    They had last year raised the alarm that the Presidency had been hijacked by a cabal.

    The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, in a BBC interview, also last year, had accused some cabals of hijacking the Buhari’s administration. The President then had dismissed her position by claiming that his wife belonged to the kitchen, the living room and the other room.

    But similar events supporting the existence of cabal played out again last month when Aisha Buhari and Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central) spoke in riddles in the social media.

    Speaking about lion, hyenas, jackals, wolves and weaker animals in their separate postings, they appeared to be talking about the Buhari’s presidency, the President’s sickness, recovery, the masses and the scheming of the cabals.

    Sani had posted: “Prayer for the absent Lion King has waned. Until he’s back, then they will fall over each other to be on the front row of the palace temple.

    “Now, the hyenas and the jackals are scheming and talking to each other in whispers; still doubting whether the Lion King will be back or not.

    “Now, the Lion King is asleep and no other dare to confirm if he will wake up or not. It is the wish of the hyenas that the Lion King never wakes or come back, so they can be kings.

    “It is the prayers of the weaker animals that the Lion King comes back to save the kingdom from the hyenas, the wolves and other predators.” he added

    As if replying Sani’s post, Aisha Buhari, on her Twitter handle said: “God has answered the prayers of the weaker animals. The hyenas and the jackals will soon be sent out of the kingdom.

    “We strongly believe in the prayers of the weaker animals. Long live the weaker animals. Long live Nigeria,” she stated

    While all these issues about cabals have largely remained on a speculative realm till date, what has become more worrisome is the seemingly two separate positions been taken by the Presidency on a particular issue.

    Apart from this trend manifesting in the last few weeks, it played out again last Tuesday starting with the joint press briefing by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu and the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on media and publicity, Laolu Akande.

    The briefing mainly focused on revealing the second delegation of governors leaving Nigeria to meet with the President in London last Wednesday.

    About two hours to the press briefing, a newspaper had posted on its website that the two new ministers-designate will be sworn in during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting the following day.

    The online report had claimed its source to be an undisclosed Presidency source.

    Information was also later gathered that the two ministers to be sworn in got their invitations for the swearing in ceremony more than 24 hours before FEC, which was also before the press briefing.

    So in the course of the briefing, question was asked about when the two new ministers will be sworn in.

    Adesina had replied: “I like the word soon that you used because that is the real position. The ministers will be sworn in soon, sooner than you think it will happen.”

    On whether the ministers will be sworn in during FEC the following day, Adesina said: “I think you are quoting the Acting President wrongly, he said the matter did not come up in his discussion with the President. Your paper has been stating dates so we should ask you where you got your dates from.”

    Akande, who didn’t say anything when the question was asked during the briefing, later confirmed the earlier newspaper online report on his Twitter handle.

    The message posted on his Twitter handle few minutes past 10p.m, when most newspapers had gone to bed, reads: “AgP Osinbajo would be swearing in the two new ministers already confirmed by the Senate tomorrow morning @ start of the Federal Exco meeting.”

    This, apart from the confusion it caused, was definitely not neatly handled.

    Even though it was not clear whether Akande only got the information about the swearing in of the two ministers when he released it or he got it earlier, but its very important for the Presidency to always speak with one voice at every point in time.

    Doing otherwise, under any pretence and scheming, will go a long way to supporting the claims of the existence of cabals, power-play and division in the Presidency.

    While many well-meaning Nigerians are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the President from London in good health, every effort now should be geared to support Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who is presently steering the ship of State.

    This is very important because as it is popularly said, a house divided against itself cannot stand.

     

  • Minister to council chiefs: use N684m Paris Refund to pay salaries

    Worried by the workers’ poor welfare, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister Malam Muhammad Bello has urged chairmen of Area Councils to use the recently received N684 million Paris Refund cash to defray the arrears of staff salaries.

    Bello gave the advice while answering questions asked by the Senate Committee on FCT during the Committee’s hearing on the Bill for the Political and Administrative Structure of FCT Area Councils.

    Asked by the Committee Chairman, Senator Dino Melaye whether he intends to place a demand for the Paris Refund considering the N1.6 billion the Administration gave as bailout to Area Councils in the recent past, the Minister disclosed that the repayment of the bailout money given the councils was not a priority now but to see that the Area Council staff gets paid the arrears of salaries owed them.

    He also disclosed that the FCT Administration had not yet benefitted from the Paris Refund as what hit its account was meant for the Area Councils.

    In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma, the minister also suggested a special fund to ensure prompt payment of severance packages to Area Council political office holders.

    This he indicated could be by setting aside a percentage of the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) of the Area Councils upon collection.

    He stressed that while he had read that FCT was to receive N1.2 Billion and N684 Million representing first and second tranches of Paris Refund, respectively, it was only on Friday last week that the second tranche hit the FCT Account, saying the Administration is yet to receive the first tranche.

    Bello invited the Committee to look into the subject of the collection of Tenement Rates in the Federal Capital City (FCC) against the background of the huge investment the FCT Administration makes in the development of infrastructure and provision of services in the Capital City.

    The Minister acknowledged the support and guidance of the Senate Committee on FCT in the efforts to provide infrastructure and services in the Territory, saying: “We look at the Area Councils as an extension of the FCT Administration, we don’t intend to ask them to refund the bailout but as the days go by we would find the ways and means around it.

    “It is however, very important that this distinguished Committee be able to really recognize the critical role of FCC, which is the 250sqkm where you find the Presidency, the Diplomatic Community and the Ministries. We have had instances where the consultants go to seal up diplomatic building, being unmindful of such international treaties like the Geneva Convention on the status of Diplomatic persons and institutions.

    “When you are looking at the political structure, we hope the Committee recognizes this unique position and even when the subject of taxes is being considered; it could be done in such a way that the FCT Internal Revenue Services is the one to handle them to avoid embarrassments.”

    The Committee Chairman, Senator Dino Melaye revealed that the Committee intends to pass the Bill on the Political and Administrative structure of FCT Area Councils into law before the end of the year, to give a permanent solution to the various areas of concern.

    He commended the parties in the suit challenging the FCT Administration and the House of Representatives on the legality or otherwise of stopping the Abuja Municipal Area Councils from collecting Tenement Rates, for withdrawing the suit. He said it was a welcome development to exhaust all avenues of dialogue.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye informed the Committee of the drastic decline in the FCT Administration’s allocation from the Federation Account from N4.3 Billion  two years ago to between N1.9Billion and N2.1Billion currently.

    The Permanent Secretary lamented that with staff strength of over 28,000; FCTA’s wage bill is over N4 Billion monthly, coupled with the huge responsibilities for the provision of infrastructure and services in the Territory.

    This, he said has made it imperative for the FCT Administration to rely heavily on its Internal Revenue Generation capacity to fund these projects and services.

     

  • Rural residents relish decongested road

    Rural residents relish decongested road

    There is a sigh of relief in the suburbs as a once notoriously clogged road is cleared, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU

    Relief has come for one of their major headaches. Residents of Jikwoyi in the outlying, often neglected districts of the nation’s capital are now happy that their much-bemoaned road has received the attention of the authorities, and they can now smile. The Abuja-Nyanya-Karu-Jikwoyi Road has been decongested, thanks to a task force set up by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

    Not only Jikwoyi residents are happy; virtually everyone who plies that road is excited, and they all are praising the government for the intervention.

    Abuja Review observed during a tour of the axis that most traders, shop owners, vulcanizers, among others, who clogged up the road have had their structures removed, hence a dramatically improved flow of movement.

    It was also observed that the giant metal bins, popularly known as roro bins that were not put to proper use during our earlier visit were last time properly being utilised, indicating a clear departure from the past. There was also no refuse dump on the road median. In addition, roadside grass is also kept trim, enhancing its ambience.

    One of the residents we spoke to appreciated the work done so far by the taskforce and expressed gladness that there was huge improvement in decongestion of this road since the taskforce started work over two months ago.

    This resident who preferred anonymity, disclosed that it now takes him 30 to 40 minutes to drive to the city, unlike then when he took more than two hours to come to town and go back during peak periods in the mornings and evenings.

    Another resident of that axis, Abby Tolani who also showered praises on the Minister, Malam Musa Bello and the taskforce said, “Traffic has really improved on this Nyanya-Jikwoyi Road. There is free flow of traffic now. The FCT Minister is doing a nice job. People used to park cars their cars on the road in the guise that they wanted to shop and return, but instead, they go for their daily businesses”.

    Another person Tolu who displaced knowledge of the axis also stated that “dumping of dirt on the median has also drastically stopped, but the problem is that those going into the houses and bringing out refuse to the roadside are the ones causing the problem”.

    He pointed out a drainage pipe at a bridge by Eldit Royal Hotel, which he complained was too small and could not allow easy passage of water, thus contributing to the clogging of the road with refuse.

    He disclosed that men of the FCTA come in two or three days to empty the roro bins, advising the FCT administration to sustain the awareness campaign so that people would not return to encroach on the road.

    Martins Okoro, another resident who spoke to us, noted that the axis was “terrible, but not like before at the moment since that taskforce started work”.

    Okoro who said the environmental men came twice a week to remove the refuse claimed that some men from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) came and collected N1000 from them but did not remove the refuse.

    He therefore urged the FCT Administration to keep it up and continue to keep the route clean, saying, “Nyanya used to be very dirty before”.

    In one of our past editions, we reported that the FCT Administration was planning to remove all the structures that contributed to the congestion of that route, even though the Minister has always insisted on a people-friendly approach in achieving the task, despite being chaired by a retired Maj. General Emmanuel Inienger.

  • CDS inaugurates Defence College projects

    The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Oloni-sakin has called on the management of the National Defence College to keep working hard in order to better prepare graduates of the college for the complex security challenges they would face in the course of their duties.

    He said capacity building and quality training of officers with the provision of adequate infrastructures have become a necessity for higher management of defence issues in contemporary world.

    General Olonisakin made the remarks while inaugurating some projects recently completed at the National Defence College permanent site at Pwoyi, Abuja and Gwarimpa Accommodation Quarters for staff of the College to mark the 25th Anniversary of the college.

    He said, “It is indeed heart-warming that the college has shown great commitment by actualising the desire of relocating to its permanent site with the commissioning of Participants’ Quarter Two which we are witnessing today. The college has attained a very high reputation in its 25 years of existence given the recognition it has earned among similar training institutions worldwide.

    “The quality of senior officers who have had the privilege of passing through the National Defence College (NDC) is a clear testimony of the high standard for which the college is globally acknowledge.

    “As we are all aware NDC by its mandate is tasked with the responsibility of providing for strategic level training for officers of the armed forces of Nigeria, their counterparts with para-military and civil services as well as officers from other allied countries.

    “The development of the quality capacity of these officers for higher management of defence in our armed forces, the provision of adequate infrastructural facility is an important contributing factor.

    ”It is therefore heart-warming to know that Participants Quarters Two conceptualised in 2009 has finally been completed to ease the accommodation problems being experienced by the college.

    “I wish to urge the institution not to rest in its oars given the complexity of the security challenges graduates of this college would be required to manage in the course of their career”.

    The Chief of Defence Staff lauded President Buhari and the Minister of Defence, Brig.General Mansur Dan-Alli (rtd) for their support for the armed forces, promising that the Defence Headquarters would continue to support the institution to enable it improve on the standard for which it was recognised globally.

    In his remarks, the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade said the commissioning of the projects which were conceptualised in 2009 was made possible by the determination of the management of the college and the Defence Headquarters willingness to support the college in the face of competing needs and limited resources.

    Rear Admiral Alade who assured that the projects would be well maintained, however, appealed for the release of funds in line with the provisions of the 2017 Budget to enable the college furnish the buildings and put them to use immediately.

     

  • Abuja turns to its rural districts

    Abuja turns to its rural districts

    The authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have launched a campaign to inform rural dwellers not just of what the administration is doing but what opportunities are open to them. GRACE OBIKE reports

    Rural residents often have their gripes. In the nation’s capital, the complaints are usually about neglect and a feeling of being unwanted. Their roads, where they exist, are narrow and potholed. Infrastructure and social amenities are in deficit, triggering a feeling that leaders care only about rural dwellers when elections beckon, and forget them soon after.

    That was why the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) launched a grassroots outreach programme to inform the residents of what the government is doing as well as existing opportunities they can tap into. For instance, the administration has told the rural dwellers of the capital city that it has approved the construction of five additional senior secondary schools in different area councils of the territory, to take off in September, the same time others resume after the break.

    They were also told that the administration recently launched the sale of farming equipment at subsidised rates to farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The FCT Public Enlightenment team informed the rural dwellers about all these in an attempt to educate them on the activities of the administration. Head of the team, Josie Mudasiru explained that the administration is informing people at the grassroots of the policies and activities of the administration, to enable them key into such policies.

    She said, “We are trying to enlighten people on the policies of the FCTA. We tell them about scholarships, FCTA has a policy where it gives scholarships to indigent students and those that perform well in their exams and cannot afford to pay fees, from secondary to tertiary institutions.

    “We want to let people know that there is an approval for five new senior secondary schools, we want to let people at the grassroots be informed, most of this information has been written in papers, shown on TV and radio. We have gone to schools, the market in the six area councils. Not only are we telling people of what the administration is doing, we are also receiving feedbacks so it helps the administration do more.

    “We are also speaking to them in agriculture, about the recently launched sale of subsidized farm equipment, security, ongoing road projects around the territory, we want people to know that the minister is completing abandoned projects, especially in road construction, he is also completing hospitals, one was recently upgraded in Gwagwalada area council, we are informing them to enable them key into these opportunities.”

    Chairman, Bwari Area Council Musa Dikko said a lot of things come up in the territory which residents especially those at the grassroots need to be aware of.

    He said, “Information is key to every progress you think of, what people need from the administration is information about its activities and the way resources are being managed; this is an idea that should be keyed into if we must have positive change in the country.

    “People need to be sensitised more in the area of agriculture; right now a lot of people do not seem to understand why we need to go back to agriculture, people need to know we never had a refinery until resources came from the sale of agricultural produce in the country, they need to know that the only way of sustaining the economy is through agriculture.

    “In the area of security, people don’t know how to secure their environment, they must know that their mindset is important, who comes to the environment at what time, the secured areas in their environment and the best way to cooperate with government to avoid insecurity.”

    Chief of Bwari, Esu Bwari HRH Ibrahim Yaro stated that although the administration of the FCT has done a lot so far, the real issue yet to be looked into in the area council is the lack of access roads. He added that although Bwari is the food basket of the FCT, the lack of access roads makes it difficult for farmers to bring their products to the market for sale, raising the price of food products. He lamented that this lack of roads has made his people on several occasions, ask him if they are truly part of the FCT.

    Some residents of Bwari also weighed in. Yam seller, Calister Egbo in a chat with newsmen said, “The government needs to get past telling us what they have done and do what we can see, look at the road how bad and dusty it is, if not for the rain, you will not be able to stand here because of the dust, we also want light, power supply is horrible in Bwari. With better road, fresh food will be brought in from the market and the price will reduce, people are hungry and dying of hunger.”

    Another resident, a motorcycle operator Dalhatu Umar lamented the bad road and cost of living. “They have just told us what the government is doing which is greatly appreciated but we ask them to tell the government to help us because we are hungry and in the process of trying to take care of my family, I drive this motorcycle but the road is terrible and worst in this season which can affect our business, so we are calling on the territory to also help us in this aspect.”

     

  • ‘Waste to be converted to energy’

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed willingness to turn the heaps of waste in the territory into energy that could be utilised by governments, corporate bodies and individuals in Abuja.

    This position was made known at the presentation of a feasibility study by by a renewable power generation firm to the management team of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

    Addressing the meeting, CEO of Galacom, Mr. Caputo Maurizion disclosed that the presentation was in conformity with the Minister’s directive that a feasibility study be conducted to determine its workability in the FCT.

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello welcomed the proposal, saying, “The Administration will kill two birds with one stone”.  He said he hoped that the initiative would ensure stable power supply in addition to solving the issue of waste which blocks drainages in the territory, leading to flooding.

    He said, “Nigeria’s renewable energy potential was huge”, the CEO added that there was already more than enough waste in the Federal Capital City alone that could be transformed into “green and clean energy devoid of environmental devastation” that could serve the whole city and environs.

    Explaining that the plant was a modular plant new technology, which uses ecogasgenerator to generate energy, he revealed that it would cost the Administration 4.7 million Euros for the one of 7.2MW, while that of 72MW costs 40 million Euros, adding they are pre-assembled in Italy. These figures, he said is for transportation and installation of the plants

    He also hinted that it was not good investment to buy generator sets to power street lights in the city because of the escalating cost of diesel which they rely on , as well as their health hazards.

    The Italian-Nigerian also suggested reliable means of funding the project to the Minister, saying that the FCTA could to take advantage of special intervention fund laying phalough at the CBN, and a similar facility with the EU, with only the condition that it would be offered green bond. He promised to help introduce the FCTA to the EU to access the funds and prosecute this laudable project for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    Representative of the Director, AEPB and Head, Environmental Health and Safety, Mrs. Kate Ogbonna who expressed gratitude for the presentation, added that the FCT Minister would be properly briefed after which, he would take a final decision on next line of action.

     

  • Removing bottlenecks in business

    Mixing the battered economy has been the toughest of the present administration’s three main goals. The three main goals set up by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration since its inception in May 2015 included securing the nation, especially reclaiming the Northeast from terrorists. The government also vowed to fight corruption to a standstill in the country. The other main goal was to clear the mess left behind by the previous administrations and put the economy on the path of sustainable growth.

    Apart from claiming to have met an empty treasury, the prices of crude oil, which was the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, also nosedived as the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was coming to a close.

    The prices of oil have remained at a lower ebb in the past 26 months in comparison with what obtained under the Jonathan administration.

    So, the economy among the three goals has proven a hard nut to crack with the economy still in recession with its biting effects on businesses and individuals in the country.

    To make businesses survive the situation, the Buhari administration decided to target small and medium sized businesses that dotted parts of Nigeria.

    To reach them, the government embarked on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) clinics across the country.

    Apart from removing bottlenecks and ensuring ease of doing businesses in the country, government also plans easy access to funds for the small scale businesses.

    Launching the MSMEs clinic in FCT at the Eagle Square on Thursday, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said: “This has been a very exciting afternoon for me because I have seen the future of the economy of our country and that future lies in the small and medium scale enterprises, many of who are here today advertising their products.

    “I want to say that all of the businesses we have seen here today, many of them are young men and women who believe in this country and who are using Nigerian products, Nigerian crafted machines in many cases, fabricated and who are producing incredible things with what they have.

    “A lot of the capital they have is from several of the micro finance businesses that are working with them.

    “I want to say that the future of our country is in small businesses, medium size businesses doing great things, and that is what we are seeing here today.

    “But it is not enough for these businesses to produce and manufacture and to work hard as they are doing, it is our business as government to do our part.

    ‘That is exactly why we have this MSME Clinics, the reason why we decided to have this clinics in the different states where we have held them so far and now in Abuja, is because we believe that government has a key role to play in creating an environment for businesses to prosper and for businesses to make good.

    “This is exactly why we are here, the idea came out of conversations I had with Mr. President about how we could develop small businesses quickly.

    “We recognise that one of the chief problems that small businesses have is with regulatory agencies; being able to access regulatory agencies and get quick and efficient service from regulatory agencies.

    “Secondly, funding is also an important constraint for many of these small businesses.

    “So we thought that it would be wise to actually take these regulatory agencies to the small businesses rather than wait for the small businesses to come to the regulatory agencies.

    “This interaction can sensitize the regulatory agencies themselves to the problems of small and medium scale enterprises.

    “What we have seen so far is that there has been tremendous improvement in the way that the regulatory agencies respond to small and medium enterprises.

    “So what we have done, for example, is that we have brought NAFDAC which of course as you know is an important agency in the process of approvals for products.

    ‘We brought NAFDAC, SON and even the CAC, that is the Corporate Affairs Commission. We brought the Bank of Industry here as well.

    “These are important agencies for funding and regulation that need to interact with small and medium scale businesses, and we believe that interaction has been very fruitful indeed.

    “We have done this in Aba, Ilorin, Sokoto, Jos, Kastina and in Calabar, and this in Abuja is the latest one. We are still going round the states and the different geo-political zones with the regulatory agencies and we are bringing about this interaction.

    “I recently signed two Executive Orders which are closely related to improving the business environment for MSMEs. These Executive Orders are also important in the work we are trying to achieve.

    “The first makes it easier for MSMEs to get approvals without delays and bureaucratic hassles; the other one is on local content. The first one which makes it easier for MSMEs to get approval, is one where we are seeking to reduce the time that it takes to register companies, reduce the time it takes to get approvals for different types of things that are required in a business.

    “So, for your NAFDAC approval, we are trying to shorten that process, your SON approval, we are trying to shorten the process and the registration of companies as well.

    “The other is local content which is absolutely important for us because we believe that just as the President said in his budget speech in December, we must make what we use and we must grow what we eat.

    “It is our responsibility as a nation and as individuals that we patronise what it is that we need. Here today, I have seen all manners of products from coconut oil to plantain chips, all sorts of products, yams, agricultural produce, rice, practically everything and it is the desire of our government to ensure that we patronise these local products,” he added.

    While the government is fixing the small businesses, it is also important that the challenges facing the big ones are tackled.

    The environment must be friendly to stop the big ones from folding up or downsizing, especially since they have more capacity to absorb millions of Nigerian youths in the labour market.

    “Here today, I have seen all manners of products from coconut oil to plantain chips, all sorts of products, yams, agricultural produce, rice, practically everything and it is the desire of our government to ensure that we patronise these local products.” he added

    While the government is fixing the small businesses, it is also important that the challenges facing the big ones are tackled.

    The environment must be friendly to stop the big ones from folding up or downsizing, especially since they have more capacity to absorb millions of Nigerian youths in the labour market.