The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FCT

  • Things FCT needs, by Reps

    The House of Representatives has bemoaned the fact that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not have any tertiary institution of its own.

    The House also condemned the slow pace of development in the suburbs of the FCT compared to Abuja city.

    Speaking at the ongoing public hearing on bills on the FCT, Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Herman Hembe assured that the House would work assiduously with the Senate to ensure that work on the bill establishing Abuja University of Technology and Abuja College of Agriculture is concluded and sent to the President for assent before the commencement of next academic session.

    According to the Committee, commencement of academic activities on September this year remains sacrosanct.

    “One of the problems that contributed to this long delay is probably that one of the Chambers completed work on the bill and the other could not…This time, the House is going to ensure that the Senate expedites action on it and send it to the President for assent. The school is ready, the infrastructures are in place and ready to take in 200 students.

    “So, we are mindful of the benefits this would impact on our education system and FCT in particular and that is why we are determined this time to make this a reality because it is unthinkable that the FCT does not have its own tertiary institution,” Hembe said.

    While describing  the slow pace of development at the suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory  (FCT) compared to the Abuja city as unacceptable, the Committee regretted  that the four states of Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Kaduna bordering the FCT have not benefitted from development emanating from the Federal Capital.

    Hembe said part of the reasons behind the commencement of the process of the establishing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Wider Areas Planning and Development Commission and FCT Security Trust Fund was to implement measures inclined to develop the four states that border the FCT.

    Sponsor of the Wider Areas bill, Jonathan Gbefwi (PDP, Nasarawa) said, “Over the years, these suburbs as they are classified, have recorded high population densities in terms of accommodating majority of people working in the FCT but cannot afford to live there.

    “The bill is therefore aimed at establishing a commission that will be saddled with the responsibility of bringing development to the wider areas through the provision of basic infrastructure and social amenities that will bring about a certain level of urbanisation.

    “Also, in a bid to address prevailing problems caused by congestion in many of these suburbs, a master plan just like that of the FCT would be implemented in the Wider Areas where strategies would be developed towards a more rational utilisation of land and other natural resources as well as the better arrangement of residential, commercial, industrial, recreational and other needed activity centres within these communities,” he said.

    The high point of the hearing however was the failure of the  Ministry of FCT to contribute to the discourse as the Permanent Secretary, Babatope Ajakaye, said the position of his Ministry on the two Bills  would be communicated to the Committee after due and wider consultations.

    He disclosed that a panel to look at the Security Fund bill  has been set up and given a week to conclude its assignment.

     

  • 174,000 N-power volunteers receiving stipends without delay – FG

    174,000 N-power volunteers receiving stipends without delay – FG

    At least 174,000 N-power volunteers in the Federal Government’s Social Intervention Programmes (SIPs) are being paid N30,000 monthly stipends without delay, a Presidency official has said.

    Mr Afolabi Imokhuede, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation, made this known in a chat with State House correspondents in his office in Abuja.

    According to Imokhuede, “As we speak right now, about 86 per cent of them really have been paid.

    “Now when I mean 86 per cent after physical verification, as at last count in end of April we had about 174,000 qualified, verified volunteers out of 200,000.

    “We are currently right now doing a final reconciliation with all the states and FCT just to ensure, because we also found out that there were few cases of computation error, a few cases of omission at the point of digitizing the physical master list.

    “The only ways we can know that; or some states get to know, is when these volunteers call the helpline or send e-mails complaining of non-payment.

    “We then say to them; you cannot be paid because our records show that you are absent from verification.’’

    The Presidential aide said the programme had been using focal persons, using N power coordinators in the states to act as the go-between the government and the volunteers to cross check their data.

    He added that the complaints about non-payment arose because some volunteers could not reconcile their entries at the time of application with the information they presented during the validation exercise.

    Imokhuede said most invalid verifications were caused by wrong Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) of the volunteers which could not be linked to the accounts they had submitted.

    He also said some women, who applied with their maiden names but submitted their BVNs with their husband’s surnames also had issues with the verification.

    He said a lot of them also applied in conformity with their certificates but a lot of such certificates were not in tandem with their BVN data.

    “All of those categories of volunteers always come out invalid.

    “What we did, which is important, is make payments through the technology platform recognising that NIBS, (Nigerian Interbank Settling System), is the custodian of all the BVN in Nigeria.

    “We brought in NIBS as a key stakeholder.

    “What we do on monthly basis is to send the records to NIBS which does the validation; and those who pass through the validation have no issues and get their payments,’’ he added.

    He said the verifications were to protect the volunteers from fraud or being short changed by those who assisted them in entering into the programme through corrupt cybercafés.

    The SSA said there were some few “no shows’’ who did not accept the appointment adding that the plan was for the states to pick the volunteers on their waiting list to fill in the vacancies.

    He said once the volunteers received their stipends regularly, the N-power paid the backlogs.

    He said no fewer than 43,000 volunteers received they backlogs about two weeks ago while another 16,000 was approved for payment last week.

    “What we intend to tell all our volunteers is to focus on getting your account updated and once done your backlog definitely would come through,’’ he advised.

    Imokhuede said the programme had also set up emergency measures for about another 15,000 who still battled with their invalid BVN by using the N-power call centres to call them to print their BVN in order to see their name as captured.

    He said the N-power intended to get the problem behind soon in order to begin the recruitment of new volunteers.

    He said the programme had a bill of about N6 billion and was processing the sixth month already.

    He said excluding those not captured; the programme had so far expended about N26 billion since inception.
    He also stated that about 17 volunteers in Taraba, who were discovered and suspended from the programme for fraud and absconding from their places of posting, would soon face prosecution.

  • ANA starts construction of writers’ village

    ANA starts construction of writers’ village

    The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has concluded arrangements to begin the construction of writers’ village at Mpape, Maitama extension of the FCT on Friday.

    Malam Denja Abdullahi, the National President of ANA made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Abdullahi explained that the project had been on the drawing board since a piece of land was allocated to the association in 1985 by late Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, then Minister of the FCT.

    “Since then, ANA has been trying to develop the land, but due to paucity of fund and lack of assistance, the land remains undeveloped.

    “But about four years ago, we did a groundbreaking ceremony and with the aid of a developer cleared the place and do other earthworks on the land.

    “After the ceremony we entered into the process of development plans and getting approval for the building plan; we have been trying to do a lot of things.

    “The things that preoccupied us for the past four years were infrastructure-based, building drainage to control flood, and all that.

    “Now we are set to commence effective development of the Writers’ Village that can be seen. This is what we want to do and will happen on Friday,”Abdullahi said.

    The ANA president said that if completed, the structure would house the National Headquarters of the association, which is currently at National Theatre, Lagos.

    Abdullahi explained that the projects to be executed in the land will include library, chalets for writers and a hotel and conference halls that could generate revenue for the association.

    “So, those are the things we want to achieve after building the writers’ village.

    “We also want to use the foundation laying ceremony to embark on some developmental models which we already have.

    “Similarly, we want to use the opportunity to appeal to state governments in the country to donate a building each and name it after their States or a writer from their states.

    “We also want to call out to national and international bodies towards assisting ANA to achieve the dreams of Vatsa, a writer and a soldier who was so passionate to donate the land to the association in 1985.

    “ANA is the sole owner and has a legal right to the land even though it has gone through attempts by some people to take it away, “Abdullahi said.

     

  • FCTA suspends tenement rates collection

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Sunday approved the temporary suspension of Tenement Rates collection in the FCT, according to a statement.

    In a statement Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye., Permanent Secretary, FCT, said that the suspension was necessitated by the need to sanitize and streamline the Tenement Rates collection process.

    Ajakaiye also said that the suspension was to ensure compliance with relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He drew attention of the National Assembly to prescribe rates to be paid on tenements in the FCT, adding that FCTA was liaising with the Legislative Body for the enactment of the requisite Act.

    The permanent secretary noted that the process of property valuation and gazetting at the FCT Administration and FCT Area Council levels was on-going.

    He also noted that submissions from the Area Councils were being collated for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

    “This suspension is also in consonance with a resolution of the House of Representatives on the matter and decisions reached at a subsequent meeting with the leadership of the House Committee on FCT.

    “The meeting is deemed to remain in force until the National Assembly concludes the enactment of the requisite legislation,’’ he said.

    The FCT Administration thus enjoined all stakeholders to be law-abiding and note the suspension of Tenement Rates collection in the FCT for strict compliance.

  • Man docked for gold, diamond fraud

    A 42-year-old man, Nnamdi Bernard, was on Tuesday arraigned in a Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly collecting N3million from one Idoko Chinedu in the guise of supplying him with gold and diamond.

    Bernard of Tunda Lugbe, Abuja, docked on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, denied committing the offences.

    The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N3.4 million and one surety in like sum and adjourned the case until June 23 for hearing.

    The prosecutor, Joshua Ayanna, had told the court that Chinedu of Life Camp, Abuja, reported the matter to the FCT Police Command on April 19.

    He said that the defendant and two others now at large conspired and deceived the complainant that they would supply him gold and diamond.

    He further said that the defendant fraudulently collected N3, 030, 000 from the defendant and failed to deliver the said products.

    The prosecutor said that when the complainant demanded for his money, the defendant threatened to kill him.

    The offences contravened Sections 97 and 312 of the Penal Code.

     

  • Red Cross challenges Nigerians on lifesaving tasks

    Red Cross challenges Nigerians on lifesaving tasks

    The Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS), FCT branch, on Monday, challenged Nigerians to participate in lifesaving and humanitarian activities in their communities to support vulnerable groups.

    The Chairman of the society, Mr Taiye Olaniyi, gave the charge at a news conference to commemorate the 2017 World Red Cross Day in Abuja with the theme: “Everywhere for Everyone.”

    He said the World Red Cross Day, celebrated all over the world in honour of its founder, Henry Dunant, was also to sensitise people about the need to participate in live saving activities.

    He added that “the theme of this year’s celebration aims to broaden the understanding of the public on how national societies are addressing humanitarian challenges through original, innovative, and unusual approaches.

    “It is also to educate the public about the unique and different ways that we work so that they can engage in providing humanitarian activities and how to protect lives in drastic conditions.”

    Olaniyi said humanitarian needs in Nigerian were on the increase due to insurgency in the north-east, communal clashes, political violence and other nature-induced disasters.

    He explained that “today, our brothers and sisters are in various camps in the FCT who are vulnerable and subjected to all kinds of illnesses and have limited or no access to medical care.

    “Due to financial constraint, it is hard for them to feed one square meal a day.

    “We therefore encourage Nigerians, especially passionate and committed individuals to get involved and support vulnerable groups in the society.”

    The chairman identified humanity, which ensured respect for human being, prevention and alleviation of human suffering while promoting mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation as fundamental principles of the society.

    He said the FCT branch would engage in various activities that were significant to its humanitarian principle such as free medical services at IDPs camps, HIV/AIDS testing, hygiene promotion, among others.

    He stated that in reality, no one organisation was capable of providing for all the people affected by disasters across the country.

    He further urged Nigerians and corporate organisations to join hands with the society as they strive to put smiles on the faces of the suffering populace.

  • On tenement rates in FCT

    SIR: On behalf of millions of residents of the Abuja Municipal Council (AMAC), I wish to draw the attention of the Honourable Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara through the House Committee on FCT on this matter of public importance.

    The Daily Trust of November 25, 2016, page 31 reported the House as advising residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to immediately cease payment of tenement rates and taxes as they portend an affront on the FCT Internal Revenue Service Act and is aimed at defrauding members of the public.

    We wish to bring to the notice of honourable House that AMAC is at it again with demand notices to residents retroactive to 2014 and threats of prosecution and sealing up of premises, houses and flats of defaulters after 21days of demand, not even minding that some of the occupants just rented the apartments/houses in 2016/2017 as the case maybe.

    It is not as if residents of the AMA are averse to paying reasonable rates to the right quarters as at when due. There is a lot the FCT Internal Revenue Service which was approved only last week can learn/copy from the Federal Inland Revenue Service which realised N27bn from penalty waivers which shield tax payers from the burden of carrying forward old tax liabilities arising from retroactive penalty and interest. FIRS chairman Babatunde Fowler was quoted as saying that it is part of their efforts to promote voluntary compliance by taking advantage of the special window to avoid payment of penalties and interest of tax between 2013 and 2015.

    This humane approach is said to have added 814,000 new tax payers into the national data base and it can also capture millions of voluntary tenement rate payers for FCT Internal Revenue Service from this year without costly litigations and the huge consultancy charges as presently obtained.

    While we empathise with AMAC, it is necessary that the change government should not be perceived by residents of the council as anything but a listening and humane administration that gets its job done without alienating the masses of the FCT many who are civil servants. This is particularly in view of the realities of our current economic situation and the fight against corruption.

    We await, urgently your further directives and clear pronouncement on tenement rates in the FCT because as far as we are aware, your resolution of November 2016 still subsist  and is binding on all of us including the chairman of AMAC, Hon. Abdullahi Candido whom we voted massively into office not too long ago.

     

    • Mohammed Ahmed,

    Abuja.  

  • Man in court for threatening residents with deadly weapon

    The police on Wednesday arraigned a man, Mohammed Awal, 38, in an Upper Area Court, Mararaba in Nasarawa State, charged with threatening to kill a group of residents with deadly weapons.

    Awal, who is a businessman and a resident of Nyanya, FCT, is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assault, unlawful possession of deadly weapon and intimidation.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Hamen Donald, told the court that Abdulhamid Yakuba and four others of Anguwan Yerima, Mararaba, reported the matter at A Police Division, Mararaba, on April 29.

    Donald said the defendant conspired with Nura, Yahaya, Mohammed Matawale and others currently at large, armed themselves with deadly weapons like cutlasses and knives and went to the complainants’ houses.

    He added that the defendant and his gang threatened to kill the complainants and members of their households without any cogent reason.

    He said the offences contravened sections 97, 291 and 396 of the Penal Code.

    However, the defendant denied committing the offence and the judge, Ibrahim Shekarau, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety in like sum.

    Shekarau said that the surety must present two recent passport photographs and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case till May 22 for further hearing.

  • Customs warns officers on information transmission

    Customs warns officers on information transmission

    The Comptroller- General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali retired on Tuesday warned officers of the service on information transmission.

    He said that “Consequently any non-designated officer that transmits or circulation information that should be properly handled by the PRO will be sanctioned.”

    He spoke while declaring the workshop on crisis communication which the service organised for its PROs and customs correspondents in Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    According to Ali, messages from the NCS must always be correct and professionally communicated to the public.

    He noted that the ability of any organisation to deliver on its mandates depends largely on how it is understood.

    Ali said PR can, therefore, be a tool for entrenching higher integrity among operatives and compliance from stakeholders.

    The Customs boss revealed that NCS is among the few organisations in Nigeria that have already complied with Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) requirements that only members of the Institute are appointed as PROs.

    He recalled that in 2012, virtually all NCS PROs were inducted as Associate Members of NIPR.

    Ali vowed that NCS under his watch will continue to encourage professionalism by providing support for such training and retraining of PR officers in addition to other core Customs courses.

    NIPR president, Dr Rotimi Oladele decorated Ali as an ordinary fellow of the institute.

    According to him, Ali will always win in a crisis situation because he means well for the country.

    He advised the NCS to learn to extinguish crises.

  • FCT to maintain horticultural dam

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammed Bello has instructed the FCT Water Board to maintain the horticultural dam on Asokoro, Abuja.

    The Pedan dam located in Asokoro was constructed to ensure that raw water is made available all year round for horticultural activities.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye made the call when he paid an unscheduled visit to the site on behalf of the Minister Mallam Muhammed Bello.

    Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Muhammad Sule who made it known in a press statememt added.

    “The Pendan Dam has been constructed by the FCT Administration for flood and erosion control while the raw water in the Dam is used all year round for horticultural activities.

    “The Dam usually supplies raw water for the watering of plants at the IBB Golf Course, Presidential Villa and the Abuja Plant Nursery as well as other horticultural activities in and around the Federal Capital City.

    “Malam Bello emphasised that the continuous maintenance would improve the services the Dam is rendering and elongates its lifespan.

    “He reiterated that the Pedan Dam is a very important asset of Abuja that must be protected as aquatic activities can also be improved around the city via that facility.

    “Taking the Minister and his entourage round the Dam, the FCT Director of Water Board, Mr. Hudu Bello, said the facility was constructed in line with the Abuja Master Plan to arrest water flood and channel same for horticultural activities in the City, thereby preserving the treated water from the Lower Usuma Dam meant for human consumption.