Tag: FCT

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, on Wednesday, July 24, revealed that the successful implementation of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) in the nation’s capital would target empowering approximately 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The minister said the significant focus will be on women, who will constitute 40% of the beneficiaries.

She revealed this at the flag-off ceremony for the distribution of agricultural inputs to FCT Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones project beneficiaries aimed at transforming the agricultural landscape of the Federal Capital Territory.

Mahmoud, who identified food as the most essential need for human survival, noted that agriculture plays a vital role in meeting human needs.

Represented by the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Hon. Lawan Kolo Geidam, the minister also noted that agriculture remains the backbone of the economy, providing livelihoods for millions of people and ensuring food security for the nation.

Mahmoud, however, observed that farmers and agro-industrial entrepreneurs face numerous and complex challenges, ranging from climate change, poor agricultural practices, and market access, stressing that these challenges require innovative solutions and collaborative efforts.

The minister said: “It is for these reasons that the FCT Administration has fully embraced the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Project, an initiative that is in tune with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” predicated on injecting the much-needed manpower, resources, and investments to reinvigorate the agricultural sector for sustainable development.

“We are optimistic that the agricultural inputs being distributed today, comprising Bull Calves, Animal Feeds, Crop Seeds, Fertilizers, and Crop Protection Chemicals and Equipment, will serve as a vital catalyst for building a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector”.

She, therefore, reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s unwavering commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the SAPZ project, adding that over its 5-year duration, this project targets at empowering approximately 50,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries.

According to her: “It is truly gladdening to see that among the beneficiaries gathered here today are some of the 5,000 crop and livestock farmers who have been successfully profiled and cleared under the first phase of the SAPZ intervention.”

The minister used the occasion to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development, aimed at the development of the sector which had been neglected for a long.

While welcoming guests to the occasion, the Mandate Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Hon. Lawan Kolo Geidam, noted that the SAPZ is an initiative that seeks to unlock the immense potential of the livestock sub-sector in the Federal Capital Territory by providing critical financing and support to drive the growth, productivity, and sustainability of the sector.

The Mandate Secretary who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mrs. Grace Adayilo, stated that two years into this project, the administration has made significant strides not only in an operational hub at the Paikon-Kore grazing reserve here in Gwagwalada but also seeing substantial impacts with the construction of value addition projects.

He also noted that, beyond the training provided to various groups, the project would also provide funding for the operations of the groups in their respective vocations which is expected to reduce the high cost of production, thereby enabling them to maximize earnings and improve their livelihood.

Read Also: Don’t engage in protests, CP urges FCT residents

Presenting the overview of the FCT Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Project, the Project Coordinator, FCT SAPZ, Hajia Umma Abubakar, stressed that the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Project is a flagship initiative designed to revolutionize agriculture in Nigeria.

She further noted that the project was designed to promote the livestock value chain and concentrate industrial processing and marketing of Beef and Dairy.

“In addition, it is aimed at developing the rural areas, increasing household income, fostering job creation in rural agricultural communities, especially for the youth and women, enhancing food and nutrition security in FCT,” she affirmed.

The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Bennett Igweh, has urged residents of Abuja to abstain from the nationwide protest.

Some organisations and individuals had vowed to embark on a countrywide demonstration on August 1, over economic hardship.

In an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday, the FCT CP, however, advised people to avoid the protest.

Igweh said: “I want to appeal specifically to the residents and indigenes and everybody in the FCT. Please, lions do not destroy their dens. You cannot see a lion who destroys its den. No, I would not like you to join this protest. I plead with you because we have worked hard to ensure your safety.

“We have fought those people outside Abuja. We have been to Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Niger to fight criminals so that you can be safe. I have lost men. Last week alone in Gidango, I lost two policemen. The other day, I lost two more. Let our loss pay for the protest. I want to plead with you.

“We don’t need you to be in the streets before somebody will say they are trying the police’s might. Or you will say, you will do this, you will do that. Please, please, don’t destroy where you are living.”

Igweh added that the government was doing its best to provide decent roads.

“If you check, the government has provided good roads. Whether it’s from the minister of FCT or the president, check the streets in FCT, from Wuse to anywhere you can check, even in the hinterlands.

“They are trying their best. I don’t need to talk to anybody, but I’m saying it because we have been in the FCT. We know when there are changes. There are changes now in the FCT.

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“And we don’t want miscreants outside the FCT to come and start destroying them. We will go back to square one where we were before. I plead, I beg of you, do not join this protest,” he added.

“Let us continue collectively to make the FCT safe. Let them go and do what they want to do. But not with us.

“Act maturely. Act maturely. Act like people who appreciate. Even the losses we have suffered to ensure your safety. Use it to appreciate us. If you do this, we will be happy. We will continue to provide security for you. God bless all of you,” he said.

Some Concerned Voters and Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have rejected the alleged elongation of tenures of council chairmen and councillors of the FCT by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The spokesperson for the group, Chucks Akamadu said this at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

The group expressed shock that the election management body was attempting to stand Nigeria’s laws on its head with its position on the tenure of FCT area council chairmen and councillors.

It queried INEC’s position that the import of the Electoral Act 2022 (As amended) is that the tenure of area council chairmen and councillors has been automatically extended by one year.

As a result, the Commission has said it would not release guidelines and schedule of activities for FCT Area Council Elections till next year and by implication, will conduct the next election in 2026 as of February 2025.

Read Also: FCTA moves to tackle environmental degradation

Akamadu said: “The argument that tenure is not defined by the date of election but the date of oath of office is neither here nor there, because whilst we grant that the coming into force of 2022 by expressly giving the current FCT chairmen and councillors a 3-year renewable term of office cannot be overthrown by subterfuge.

“It is trite law that the validity of a law, under a democracy, is derived from the people. Fundamentally, it is also beyond debate the statutes including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria derive their potency from the will of the people- not mere words contained therein.

“We concede also that the legislature has a constitutional right and duty to make laws for the good governance of the country -the FCT inclusive, but that is only to the extent that such laws derive validity from the people whom they represent.

“And in the instant case, the people gave a 3-year tenure mandate only. Anything other than this would be ultra vires and inconsistent with the universal meaning and principles of democracy.”

The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmoud, has inaugurated the FCT At-Risk Children Implementation Committee as part of efforts to ensure the well-being and protection of every child in the nation’s capital.

During the inauguration, the minister emphasized the significance of the committee in addressing the needs of vulnerable children and ensuring that they are not left behind.

Mahmoud tasked the Committee to develop and implement comprehensive strategies to support at-risk children in the FCT.

This includes providing them with access to essential services, protecting them from harm, and offering opportunities for education and social development.

She said: “Our children are the future of our nation, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the care, protection, and support they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

“Unfortunately, there are many children in the FCT who are at risk due to various factors such as poverty, abuse, neglect, and lack of access to education and healthcare”.

She expressed full confidence in the ability of members of the Committee and their dedication to the very important assignment.

Mahmoud also urged them to work tirelessly and collaboratively to identify the most pressing needs of at-risk children in the FCT and to develop effective solutions to address them.

According to her: “The outcome of this Committee can make a real and lasting difference in the lives of these children and help them build a better future for themselves and for our nation”.

Accordingly, the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee include liaising with FCT Area Councils and other stakeholders in the FCT, to ensure that children are not at risk in FCT, and come up with workable partnerships with corporate organizations to buy into this initiative for effective implementation; Conduct a baseline survey to ascertain the number of at-risk children in FCT and a mechanism for enrolment, and to work out a sustainability plan that will gradually make the program self-funding.

Others include researching the best way possible to bring to the barest minimum the influx of children at risk into the FCT; Providing strategic direction and guidance for the At-Risk Children Project; Monitoring and evaluating project progress toward achieving its goals, and Conducting community engagement for the buy-in of all stakeholders particularly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and all faith-based organizations.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee, the chairperson, Hajia Adamu Maijidda Kuku, stressed that the “At-Risk Children Project” was a visionary initiative that aimed to protect the children’s future by addressing the various risks they encounter, assuring that the administration must create a safe, nurturing, and empowering environment for every child in the territory.

According to her; “Leveraging the strengths of the technical diversity in the committee, our strategy will be comprehensive, effective, and multi-dimensional guaranteeing no child falls behind.

“We will work hand-in-hand with local government area councils who are the closest administrative bodies to the communities, and their close knowledge of local challenges and dynamics is invaluable”.

Members of the Committee include Hajia Adamu Maijidda Kuku, who will serve as the chairperson, Hon. Simon Helen Zamani, Hafsat Mahmud, and Kalu A. Ifeanyi.

Others include Chinyere Maduka, Solomon Abenu, Hussain M. Makari, Babayola Abdulrahaman, Rotimi Ojo, Elizabeth O. Aliu, and Suleiman Abubakar Ndabagi.

The House of Representatives yesterday passed the 2024 Supplementary Bill of N98.5 billion for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently presented the Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly for considerations, saying the money was meant to take care of critical infrastructure.

Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Aliyu Mukthar Betara (APC, Borno), presented the report of the committee to the House for consideration.

Betara said the committee scrutinised the President’s presentation and arrived at the conclusion that the money was needed to develop certain infrastructure in the nation’s capital.

Read Also: Reps pass FCT supplementary appropriation bill

Provisions of the Supplementary Appropriation states that “the Director of Treasury of the Federal Capital Territory Administration shall, when authorised to do so by warrants signed by the Minister Federal Capital Territory Administration with responsibility to pay out of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Statutory Revenue Fund of the Federal Capital Territory Administration during the financial Year 2024 the sum specified by the warrants, not exceeding in the aggregate N61,553,778,260.00) only.

“The amount mentioned in Section (1) of this section shall be appropriated to heads of expenditure as indicated in the schedule to this Bill.”

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and key health sector stakeholders in Abuja have urged the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue its Integrated Health Program (IHP).

Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), highlighted that the five-year USAID IHP, which concluded on Thursday, significantly enhanced the health and well-being of FCT residents, as shown by improvements in basic health indicators across the six area councils.

Marta Levitt, Chief of Party for USAID-IHP, noted that over its duration and commitment of over $21m, IHP strengthened systems supporting primary healthcare services in the FCT.

According to her, the programme improved financial risk protection through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, enhanced human resources for health, increased the availability of drugs, commodities, and services in health facilities, supported the institutionalization of better data quality practices, and promoted integrated service delivery.

The project also resulted in improved access to and quality of primary healthcare services that resulted in, “In FCT, use of modern family planning resulted in 231,107 couple-years of protection. More than 104,903 unintended pregnancies, 533 maternal deaths, and 2,615 child deaths were averted mainly due to the increased use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC).

“Among other significant quality of care improvements, IHP support in FCT resulted in a 37% increase in antenatal care visits and a 351% increase in uptake of IPT3.

“20,872 cases of childhood diarrhea were treated correctly with ORS+Zinc and 1,198,504 doses of Vitamin A provided to children 6-59 months over the life of the project.

“In IHP-supported facilities in the FCT, there was a 63% increase in facility deliveries conducted by a skilled birth attendant (SBA) and a decrease in the institutional mortality rate at IHP-supported facilities by 29%.

“127,092 live newborns were delivered in IHP-supported facilities with improved essential newborn care, an increase in chlorhexidine applied to the cord from 23% in 2020 to 92% in 2024 and immediate breastfeeding within one hour of birth and skin-to-skin contact increased from 30% in Year 2 to 98% in Year 4,” she said.

Speaking at the IHP close-out ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, Mahmoud, who was represented at the event, said, “We hope you will extend IHP in the FCT to additional years or come up with alternative partnership opportunities with us.”

Read Also: Tinubu administration prioritises youth development – Akume

She explained the reason for appealing for the continuation of the project, saying, “Within the five years of the program’s implementation, tremendous successes were achieved in the areas of maternal and child health, nutrition, and capacity building of healthcare workers, among others.

“The 160 healthcare facilities, which included 92 PHCs, 12 general hospitals, and 56 private health centers, are currently operating maximally and providing essential health services to the good people of the FCT.

“It is, therefore, pertinent at this juncture to appreciate and commend USAID for this kind gesture done to our people.”

The Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, assured that all areas of intervention from the concluded program would be sustained.

According to her, the Health Services and Environment Secretariat cannot afford to let the progress made in maternal, newborn, and child health, adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCH+N), health insurance coverage, infrastructure, and capacity building for health workers, as well as the process improvements in 162 health institutions across the Territory, go to waste.

“All the programmes will be sustained,” she assured.

The Emir of Jiwa, HRH Idris Musa, highlighted the significant progress in maternal and child health, as well as referral and health insurance within the FCT due to the IHP interventions, which he noted have saved many lives.

He pleaded for the continuation of IHP, even if it operates under a different program, saying, “We are appealing to you, without continuity, there may be a problem. Let there be continuation for some years before we take over,” he said.

On his part, Hon. Chinedu Obika, the member of the House of Representatives for the AMAC/Bwari Federal constituency, expressed regret that he learned about the program only as it was concluding.

Nonetheless, he supported its continuation for the benefit of the residents while also urging USAID to design the project to include government participation through counterpart funding.

Levitt, however, assured continuous USAID support to Nigeria, emphasizing that IHP is a Nigerian project while expressing hope that in the coming years, the FCT would fully take control of all the areas of intervention established by IHP.