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Tag: AMAC

  • AMAC wins inaugural FCT FA Women’s Inter-Area Councils’ football  tourney

    AMAC wins inaugural FCT FA Women’s Inter-Area Councils’ football  tourney

    AMAC Area Council have been crowned champions of the maiden edition of the FCT FA Women’s Inter-Area Councils Football Tournament, following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gwagwalada Area Council

    A first-half solitary strike from Ruth Torsue handed Atandex Taiwo’s side the historic triumph in the final held at the FIFA Goal Project Pitch, Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Sunday, April 27th . .

    In the earlier third-place playoff, Kwali edged Kuje 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in regulation time to secure the bronze medal.

    As reward for their historic achievement, AMAC were presented with a cash prize of ₦250,000, while runners-up Gwagwalada and third-placed Kwali received ₦150,000 and ₦100,000 respectively.

    A major highlight of the day was the conferment of a Meritorious Award on the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and First Vice President of WAFU Zone B, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to football development in Nigeria and beyond.

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    Speaking after receiving the award, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, who had just returned from the CAF African Schools Football Championship finals in Ghana, praised the FCT Football Association and tournament sponsor Pat Ajuma Ayegba for their unwavering commitment to grassroots football.

     “I am fulfilled being part of this huge success. Championships like this are the real platforms for talent discovery, and I must commend the organizers for their vision and execution,” Gusau said.

    “I made a vow to be here and am proud to identify with initiatives like this. It aligns perfectly with my agenda of promoting grassroots development since coming into office and taking the sport to every corner of the country. I am truly proud of the investment and dedication shown by Pat Ajuma Ayegba, and I fully support initiatives of this nature.”

    Tournament initiator and sponsor, Pat Ajuma Ayegba, expressed immense satisfaction with the successful delivery of the competition.

    “This is a dream come true. I congratulate all the participating teams, especially the champions AMAC, for their outstanding performance,” Ayegba stated.

    “I sincerely thank the NFF President for the incredible honour of his presence and the fond memories offered these young, ambitious female footballers. I also deeply appreciate the support of the Minister of Women’s Affairs and the humongous backing of the FCT FA leadership.”

    FCT FA Chairman, Alhaji Mouktar Adam Mohammed, represented by First Vice Chairman, Alhaji Salihu Kolo, also hailed the success of the tournament and applauded Pat Ajuma Ayegba’s landmark achievement.

    “We are extremely proud of the successful maiden edition of this championship. The attendance of the NFF President and the dedication shown by Pat Ajuma Ayegba has given this tournament a strong foundation for future growth,” Kolo remarked.

    In a similar vein, the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by her Special Assistant, Alkali Suleiman, commended the organizers for their transformative vision.

    “This initiative is highly commendable, creating a platform that takes young girls off the streets and engages them positively through sports,” Suleiman stated.

    “On behalf of the Honourable Minister, I pledge our Ministry’s continued support to sustain and grow this laudable project as it aligns with our agenda.”

    In recognition of outstanding performances, Jimoh Kairat of Gwagwalada was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, while the Best Goalkeeper award went to AMAC’s impressive shot stopper, Duru Blessing. Saratu Danladi also shone brightly, emerging as the tournament’s Highest Goal Scorer.

    The well-attended final also attracted several high-profile dignitaries, including former FCT FA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Emmanuel Attah; General Manager of NTA Sports, Kayode Adeniyi; Corps Command Daniel Asanya; former Chairman of FCT Coaches Association, Godwin Bamigboye; as well as FCT FA Board Members Femi Ajilore, Patrick Bassey, and FCT FA Secretary, Haruna Ilerika.

  • Netzence trains EHCON, AMAC staff to combat emissions

    Netzence trains EHCON, AMAC staff to combat emissions

    In a groundbreaking initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development, Netzence Sustainability Limited has launched a comprehensive training program for staff members of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

    The training, focused on data collection and utilisation of the innovative CloseCarbon platform, is designed to support the installation and onboarding of banks, hotels, and supermarket chains in Abuja. 

    This initiative marks a significant step towards achieving Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

    According to Dr. Sadiq Sani, Founder/CEO of Netzence: “Our goal is to create a knowledgeable workforce within EHCON and AMAC that can effectively monitor emissions, promote compliance with environmental regulations, and support the development of a low-carbon economy in Abuja.”

    The training programme includes modules on understanding carbon emissions, data collection techniques, utilization of the CloseCarbon platform, stakeholder engagement, and field practice. 

    These modules are designed to equip participants with practical skills and knowledge to support the effective monitoring and management of greenhouse gas emissions in Abuja.

    Industry experts emphasised the importance of this collaboration in ensuring air quality standards are established and maintained, ultimately benefiting public health and supporting sustainable development in Abuja.

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    “This initiative demonstrates the commitment of Netzence, EHCON, and AMAC to addressing the urgent need for climate action in Nigeria,” said Idia Ogedegbe, Chief Operations Officer at Netzence. “We are proud to be part of this effort and look forward to seeing the positive impact on the environment and local communities.”

    As the training programme progresses, its impact will be closely monitored, with Netzence, EHCON, and AMAC committed to ensuring Abuja meets its emissions targets and sets a benchmark for sustainability efforts across Nigeria.

    This initiative has the potential to position Abuja as a leader in integrated environmental management, serving as a model for cities nationwide. By empowering EHCON and AMAC staff with vital skills in data collection and emissions management, Netzence Sustainability Limited is paving the way for a greener future in Nigeria.

  • PDP wins AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency

    The immediate past chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Micah Jiba has been declared winner of the AMAC/Bwari federal constituency in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The returning officer Prof. Rebecca Wusa Ndana declared Micah Jiba of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of House of Representatives elections in the constituency after he polled a total vote of 174,377.

    The candidate of All Peoples Congress (APC) polled 82,761 votes.

    AMAC/Bwari is one of the two House of Representatives seats in the FCT.

  • ‘AMAC has right to collect tenement rates’

    The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has insisted that it had the legal backing to collect tenement rates from property owners in Abuja.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja, in an April 12 judgment, said AMAC had no powers under the Constitution to make by-laws for the collection of tenement rates and so declared the council’s by-laws null and void

    But AMAC’s Executive Chairman, Abdullahi Candido, who addressed reporters yesterday, insisted that the council was exercising its rights legally.

    He said: “We are legally exercising our statutory function of collection of tenement rates within our jurisdiction, to provide basic infrastructure to the people.

    “In August 2017, the National Assembly lifted the suspension placed on tenement rate collection and conveyed a formal approval to FCT Area Councils for the collection of tenement rates within the Federal Capital Territory.

    “In the past, there have been judicial pronouncements giving interpretation to the legality of the collection of tenement rates by the Abuja Municipal Area Council. The judgments have all been in favour of the council, expressly recognising and validating the legality and power of AMAC specifically as the tier of government/body empowered constitutionally to collect tenement rates within the area under the coverage of the council in Abuja.

    “Most profoundly was the Court of Appeal judgment in the case between Afdin Ventures Ltd and two others, versus Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council (delivered on May 12, 2014) in favour of Abuja Municipal Area Council.

    “We, hereby, state categorically that we are a council that is law abiding and would at all times respect constituted and judicial authority. The Court of Appeal is higher in hierarchy to the High Court and other lower courts, and until the Supreme Court sets aside or varies the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the above case, that decision remains the authority as far as collection of tenement rates within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja is concerned.

    “We appeal to the public, especially property owners within the council, to continue to exercise their civic responsibility of paying promptly their tenement rates to the council’s authority, and disregard any misleading court ruling as respected and civilised citizens of Nigeria.

    “We urge everyone to keep faith with the present administration of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, as we are resolute in our commitment to developing the council with revenues being collected.”

  • AMAC appeals to parents, guardians to enroll children, wards in school

    AMAC appeals to parents, guardians to enroll children, wards in school

    The Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC ) has appealed to parents and guardians to enroll their children and wards in school, saying that education was the best legacy we can bequeath on children.

    Mrs Dinatu Tukura, Head of Department Education, AMAC made the appeal in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.

    She said that educating them was the only key to unlock their future inheritance, and boost the development of the country.

    The official noted that quite a number of children, who were supposed to be in schools, were still seen roaming the street of Abuja.

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    Tukura also said that some had been seen in their homes playing and involving themselves in different child labour, which according to her is detrimental to their future.

    “We are still asking and begging parents to register their children and wards in schools because that is the inheritance we can give them.

    “When we go out to different community we still see children that are of school age not in school, we have been going from community to community to create awareness that children should be enrolled in schools

    She, however, commended Alhaji Abdulahi Candido, Chairman of AMAC, for doing all within his power to make education free within the council.

    She said the chairman had built block of classrooms in some communities, donated books, uniforms, shoes, so that the common man could enroll his child without thinking of paying any fees.

    The official urged parents to support the council, saying that the chairman was doing all within his power to see residents of AMAC properly educated by making education free for all.

    Tukura appealed to community leaders in AMAC to unite by carrying out self-help projects that would impact positively on the people, adding that waiting on government for everything would not solve their problems.

    In some of the communities within the council, some of the children from the ages of 5 to 16 were seen engaging in different child labour like hawking, wheelbarrow pushers, cleaning of cars wheel screen, begging for arms among others.

    Some of the children and parents attributed their non enrolment to non-availability of resources to pay tuition fee, buy uniforms, books and pay other fees.

    Solomon Jacob, a nine year old pupil, said he comes to karimo market every Tuesdays to carry load for people and they paid him.

    “I want to go to school but nobody to pay my school fees, my parents do not have money that is while am helping them.

    Hauwa Idris, a five year old girl seen selling groundnut, said that her mother gave her the nuts to go and sell so they could have money to eat.

    Lami Abubakar, refuses to disclose her age but admitted that she want to go to school and become a medical doctor but her parents do not have the means to send her.

    “We are six children from my mother, and we all fend for ourselves because my parents do not have money to send us to school.

    “The government said education is free, but it is not free, if you do not have money no school will admit you, I have gone to the government school around me but they were asking me to pay. I cannot afford it.”

    She appealed to the government to look into the issue of education and make it completely free so that indigent children could attend.

    Mrs Roseline Okeke, a trader, urged the government, private companies, and privileged individuals to come to the rescue of the poor that could not afford education.

    She said the fee they charge in some of the government schools were too outrageous, adding that some people could not afford it.

    “I have five children three are in secondary schools, one want to write SSCE. I am paying almost N50, 000, which is too much, what am I selling?

    “Please, I am begging the government to look into it and do something to reduce the fee so that parents can enroll their children in schools,” she pleaded.

    NAN

  • Guild of Medical Directors in FCT seek review of taxes, levies

    Guild of Medical Directors in FCT seek review of taxes, levies

    The Guild of Medical Directors in FCT on Thursday asked an FCT High Court for judicial review of taxes and levies paid by members to Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC ).

    Mr Akinwale Aderele, counsel to the plaintiff made the plea in an application brought before Justice Charles Angbaza of Jabi court.

    He said the group was seeking judicial review of taxes and levies paid to AMAC so as to reduce the burden on members.

    He added that the application would help to determine whether the demands and the summons served medical directors and private hospitals by AMAC were in line with the law.

    According to him, there is a law that guides the kind of taxes and levies payable to government by operators of any income generating ventures
    in the country.

    “Under the law, local governments can only collect taxes and levies ontenement rates,” he said.

    He explained that there had been cases where members of the guild were
    asked to pay radio and television fees, environmental fees, trade and operating licence fees.

    The counsel said some hospitals were sometimes charged between N500,000 and N1 million as taxes, stressing that it was affecting the capacity of medical doctors to deliver quality services in FCT.

    He noted that Nigerians were being affected because once such hospitals were forced to pay up to N3 million on regulatory fees, they could not buy medical equipment.

    He said the quality of health in the country would suffer considerably, noting that medical directors would have no choice than to increase the price of consultancy.

    He added that “we are in court to ensure that Nigerians get quality healthcare; that doctors can have means to engage in research and
    provide quality health services to citizens.”

    He announced that the FCT had about 411 land plots designated for hospital use, saying that of the 120 doctors that formed the Guild in Abuja, only 10 of them had allotted plots on hospital land.

    He claimed that “people who are not medical practitioners have managed to get plots meant for medical use and they have deprived doctors of those plots.”

    Aderele appealed to the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, to revoke plots illegally given to non-medical practitioners and give same to genuine doctors.

    He also sought the assistance of the court to enable a representative of the doctors to be listed in court instead of
    all the 112 private hospital owners in the territory.

    The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) reports that AMAC, the defendant in the matter was absent in court.

    Justice Angbaza, however, granted the two prayers by the plaintiff and adjourned the matter until Feb. 1, 2018 for hearing.

  • AMAC builds N1.6 billion market

    The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Investment and Property Development Company (AMAC-IPDC) said about N1.6 billion will be spent on the ongoing modern market located at Kurudu as part of efforts to boost the revenue base of the council.

    It was also revealed that the organization had secured about 25 hectares of land along kurudu/Oroso axis where low cost housing estate will be built for the benefit of AMAC residents.

    Addressing newsmen, the IPDC Managing Director and the Chief Executive Officer Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Adamu, said that since the official commencement of operation by the company in August, several measures have been put in place by his leadership to ensure mandate of boosting revenue for the area council is achieved.

    He said: “AMAC-IPDC has been empowered by AMAC administration led by Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido to venture into diverse business activities which include; development and operation of markets, housing estates, abattoirs, motor parks, urban mass transport, tractor hiring service to boost agriculture and hotel management.”

    The IPDC director said the development of Kurudu market will among other others create job opportunity and boost economic activities within the axis and neighbouring towns and villages.

    While calling on all existing allottees and interested subscribers to pay for their shops without further delay, Adamu said the company will not continue to wait for uncommitted allottees and subscribers that will frustrate the process of developing the market.

    “Certificates of allocation will only be issued to subscribers who make full payment. We will not hesitate to revoke allocation papers of allottees who fail to pay for their shops within the specified period.”

     

  • AMAC chair-elect inaugurates transition committee

    The chairman-elect of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Abdullahi Candido has set up a 25-member  transition committee that would ensure a smooth transition programme in May.

    Candido said the aim of the committee, which is chaired by Alhaji Yakubu Adamu, is not to witch-hunt anybody, but to gather information that would guide him in office.

    He explained that the committee is not made up politicians, but professionals that are well acquainted with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council administrations.

    “Since 1999 the transition in AMAC has been a transition from one sister to a brother and one brother to another brother, without proper need to get important information to kick start governance.

    “Ours has to be different, we cannot do it the same way they have been doing, this formed the basis for this transition committee. So, the committee should seek to know the contractual agreements between the council and it’s contractors, stage of work executed and mobilisation received by the contractors, if any.

    “The committee should seek to know the contractual agreement between the council and its internally generated revenue or consultants. Also, should seek to know the overall debt profile of the council as at April 30, 2016.

    “Beam your searchlight on the AMAC Local Education Authority, total staff strength and last date of staff recruitment and the overall overhead cost as at 30th April,” he said.

    Candido also said the committee should seek to know the area council staff strength, last date of employment and the overhead cost of the staff.

  • I’ll transform AMAC’

    The Secretary of the All Progressives Party (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Hon. Abdulahi Candido has said his experience has equipped to transform the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) if he won the council poll coming up soon.

    Hon. Candido was speaking with reporters in Abuja in the run up to the election.

    He said experience matters in electing a leader, adding that he has served as ward councillor for five years, and also as supervisory councillor and secretary to the council chairman.

    “I have gathered enough experience in the municipality. If given the mandate, I have a three-point agenda that I intend to use the three years to focus on. One is education, which is very essential, the second one is infrastructures and the last is security.

    “We are all witnesses of what is happening in Nigeria today, the security aspect of the country, must not be left alone in the hands of the federal government. So every tier of government, mostly in the local government, needs to ensure that the people go to bed without fear of been terrorised. First amongst all the agenda is education.

    “Whether you are a native of the AMAC or not, I believe that everyone needs sound education for their kids. That is why we are going to give them, in order for them to be the future leaders of tomorrow. I have a lot of passion for education and all I need to do is haven looked at what used to happen, especially in the area of supporting students through scholarship and financial assistance.

    “I believe that the little token they used to give them is nothing, simply because they concentrate on quantity, instead of quality. I am going to identify with the best hands amongst our young ones coming up, to support them financially, a good percentage of money would be budgeted to carter for the education of our children,” he said.

    He said that for infrastructures, any government that wants to come will promise heaven on earth, without fulfilling them, saying that he will conduct a feasibility studies on how they are going to affect the lives of the people, by putting infrastructures for the people.

    “It can be in terms of feeder roads, rural electrification, road networks, construction of water boreholes and even health centres. This are the areas that the government will not be hasty in taking decisions, but will find time to plan for them to be actualized. What we are going to give in the next three years, will be something the area council has never witnessed before and the people will be proud that they made the right choice,” he said

  • AMAC staff alarmed over incessant car theft

    A staff of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has raised alarm over incessant stealing of workers’ cars parked at the car park of the council secretariat.

    Mr. Salisu Kabiru, who was a recent victim said he parked his car in the usual secretariat’s car park which was provided by the council. He said after he had closed for the day’s work, he was surprised to discover that his car has been stolen.

    According to him, he had always been parking his red Saloon, one door, 92 model car, with registration number BS 211 RSH and chassis no. JHMEG 43400SO30708, at the secretariat’s car park since he started working at the council secretariat, but did not think that he will become a victim.

    He further said there have been over four reports of stolen cars at the council secretariat, which made the management to issue a directive for vehicle pass to be designed to vehicle owners, adding that since the directive, nothing has been done towards the design of the vehicle pass.

    “The fact is that we have different security personnel in the secretariat. But I can not really say what they are doing to ensure the safety of lives and property here.

    “The car park has one way that serves as entrance and exit, but somebody will just come and steal cars without any security personnel noticing it.

    “They have been stealing cars there. Cars belonging to a staff in administrative department, an SSS woman’s car and one Civil Defense man’s car, were stolen. When management suggested that vehicle pass tags should be made, they did not do it. If the pass were made, thieves will not be able to come here and steal cars any how.

    “I also blame it on the carelessness and lapses on the part of the security personnel at the secretariat. Whenever you come to the council, you will see them concentrating at the entrance gate, without surveying other parts of the premises. The leadership of the council should do something about this development. It is not good at all,” he said.