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Tag: FCT

  • Sheep, goats scheme inaugurated in FCT

    The Federal Government has inaugurated the sheep and goats value chain scheme to boost commercial animal farming in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, said the scheme would ensure self-sufficiency in animal protein.

    She  said the programme was in line with government’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) for increased quality animal production among farmers.

    “It is expected that improved ram and bucks will be given to farmer cooperatives for upgrading and improving the genetic base and productivity of the animals.

    “The Federal Government is determined and fully committed to ensuring self-sufficiency in food production and animal protein through sheep and goats value chain.

    “Government is also determined through this programme to introduce the farmers to the necessary animal health care for improved productivity and production of small ruminants,’’ she said.

    Mrs Odusote said  under the scheme, four bags of commercial ruminant finishing feeds would be given to each of the 180 farmers who benefitted from the scheme in the FCT.

    She was represented by Mrs Rabi Adamu, Director, Department of Planning and Partnership Coordination.

    Mr Ibrahim Hassan, one of the beneficiaries,praised the   government for reaching out to the farmers.

    He said he would make the best use of the gesture to produce quality animals.

  • FCT to get N3.2tr secondary investment

    FCT to get N3.2tr secondary investment

    Over N3.2 trillion secondary investment is expected to be generated for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja with the implementation of the Abuja Land Swap Initiative.

    Apart from the N3.3 trillion, another N450 billion is already accruing to the FCT Administration from the Land Swap primary investment , which is the cost of the infrastructure to be provided by the investors.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who spoke yesterday in Abuja while receiving the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) led by its President, Ademola Olorunfemi said  the Abuja Land Swap Initiative is equally the first of its kind in the entire African continent. He added that it has only been realised during the transformational period of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Administration.

    He said: “Apart from N3.2 trillion, the sum of N450 billion is already accruing to the FCT Administration from the Land Swap primary investment, which is the cost of the infrastructure to be provided by the investors.

    “Abuja as a national mega engineering project that is a success story in the history of Nigeria, appreciated the contributions of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) for the development of the model city.

    “The Abuja Land Swap Initiative is equally the first of its kind in the entire African continent.”

    He agreed to allocate a befitting plot of land for the NSE to construct its head office and challenged the group to muster all its contacts to get all the needed resources to build a gigantic edifice expected of a professional body such as the NSE.

    He also promised to support the proposed international engineering conference scheduled for Abuja, stressing that the conference will open Abuja to the World and avail the FCT of new frontiers.

    Earlier,  Olorunfemi  had pleaded with the Minister to allocate a plot of land for the society to build its headquarters.

    He solicited the cooperation of the FCT Administration and the NSE for the mutual benefit of the two bodies.

  • Miss FCT unveils programmes

    Miss FCT unveils programmes

    The winner of the 2014 Miss Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria, Queen Bertha Eke has said she has concluded arrangements to launch N600 million empowerment programmes for youths and the under-privileged in Nigeria.

    Nigerians from the six geo-political zones of the country, she said, are expected to benefit from the programmes.

    Queen Eke dropped the hint during a courtesy visit to The Nation Newspaper in Abuja.

    She said already her non-governmental organisation (NGO) known as “Empower to Empower” has undertaken a tour of the FCT and Benue State and has touched the lives of the under-privileged people.

    According to her, 12 prison inmates were set free at the Medium Security Prison in Benue State, while about 2,000 children participated in a sport programme sponsored by the NGO at the National Stadium Abuja.

    She explained that each geo-political zone would benefit to the tune of N100 million once the programme fully comes on stream, adding that for now, the NGO is into advocacy programme on HIV and AIDS, Ebola Virus Disease, female genital mutilation and Viscous Virginal Fistula (VVF).

    She said: “Our advocacy is all about empowerment. We have some radio programmes on empowerments that are actually fashioned towards lifting the less-privileged and also catering for the welfare of the elderly in Nigeria.

    “We advocate the right for the child to have access to basic education; we also strive for the enlightenment of the youth on the harms and hazards of some harmful traditional practices like the female genital mutilation. We try to fight against the Viscous Virginal Fistula (VVF) and against early girls’ marriage. Early girls’ marriage is one of the major causes of VVF in Nigeria today.

    “So, we try to tackle VVF by fighting against the cause. Apart from that, we also try to protect the youth against HIV and AIDS infection by creating more awareness on the scourge. We carry out sensitisation and awareness campaigns.

    “During one of our outreach at Government Day Secondary School in Abuja, we did a little demonstration on HIV and AIDS. We had some students dressed in red ribbons. We came together united with hoes and cutlasses fighting against it. That is a demonstration against HIV and AIDS.

    “We also try to equip the youth with basic vocational skills through empowerment workshops. The workshops have the hair dressing centre, soap making and tailoring departments”

    Queen Eke expressed the hope of partnering with government and NGOs that are already creating awareness on some of the harmful traditional practices that inhibit the growth of the society, stressing that her NGO would not be deterred from visiting the northern states because of the present security challenges there.

    She added that she had already established links with some NGOs in the North for the success of the programme. She said she deemed it necessary to visit The Nation Newspaper for support and understanding of the media.

    Queen Eke, who was accompanied by her manager, Mrs. Grace Ogba, further stated that without the support of the media, nothing much would be achieved as the media remain the most viable instrument for social change and development.

  • Security gadgets for FCT schools

    Mindful of the abduction of over 200 girls of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents on April 15, the bomb blast at EMAB Plaza, Abuja and threats by the Boko Haram sect to attack major places in Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Bala Mohammed has held a schools’ security conference to avoid a reoccurrence.

    He said schools in the FCT would be equipped with modern security gadgets before they resume for next session in September. He said the move was aimed at protecting the lives of children and to avert the Chibok experience.

    The new security measures to be introduced in schools will include provision of perimeter fencing, housing for teachers, community policing, school guards, alarm system and deployment of communication equipment. This, he said, is in order to take pre-emptive measures to prevent the insurgents from cashing in on any security lapses to attack any school.

    Emphasis, he added, will also be laid on school alert and early warning systems, attitudinal change, awareness of basic security tips, safety and evacuation drills as well as the erection of both institutional and physical firewalls that obstruct unwelcome guests.

    The minister said the battle against Boko Haram which has declared war on the country’s educational system is a battle of the heart, the mind and soul of the country.

    Senator Mohammed, who was represented by the Secretary, FCT Education

    Secretariat, Mallam Kabir Usman, said: “The FCT Administration considers this conference as part of its ongoing concerns to evolve a foolproof security framework for schools in the territory and the FCT as a whole.

    “The need to pay special attention to protection of lives of our school children gave rise to the launch of the ‘Safe Schools Initiative’ at the recently-concluded World Economic Forum held in Abuja.

    “The measures include provision of perimeter fences, housing for teachers, community policing, school guards, alarm systems and deployment of communication equipment. Even though, the target of this undertaking is the safeguard of school children in states under emergency rule, we in the FCT consider it necessary to take pre-emptive measures to avoid tempting the insurgents by any vulnerability.

    “It is noteworthy that our commitments to school safety and overall emergency preparedness have proved effective in dealing with emergencies. A recent hijack of a school bus in Nyanya was quickly dealt with within a couple of hours. This, for us, was cheery news, even as it sent signals about the effectiveness of the machinery FCT Administration has put in place to ensure the security of lives and property in the territory.

    “It could be recalled that one of the earliest initiatives of this administration at its inception was the procurement of 114 security vehicles fitted with communication and security gadgets to holistically confront criminals and threats of insurgency in the FCT. These vehicles were donated to all the security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Military in the FCT, among others.

    “It is lamentable that education, which is the bedrock of national development, has been singled out by insurgents for constant attacks and raids, often leaving arson, deaths and destruction on their tracks. Our hearts are with the parents and relatives of the Chibok school girls, as our security operatives work round the clock to salvage them and bring them home alive.

    “Without any iota of doubt therefore, the battle against those who have declared war on our educational system is a battle of the heart, the mind and the soul of our country. It is consequently a fight that we cannot afford to lose and the Federal Government has all the means to win it.

    “In your deliberations today, I recommend that emphasis should be laid on school alert and early warning systems, attitudinal change, awareness of basic security tips, safety and evacuation drills, as well as the erection of both institutional and physical firewalls that obstruct unwelcome guests.”

    On its part, the National Association of Private School Proprietors (NAPSP) has

    pledged its support to government in carrying out what it described as important and urgent step to avert crisis.

    The group said: “Since the issue of schools being the target of Boko Haram and especially the abduction of the Chibok girls, children, adult, parents and teachers are now living in fear. It is unfortunate that we have come to this point in our life where our hearts are bleeding profusely.

    “We want to thank this administration for always being sensitive to issues. We support the sensitisation of individuals on security matters. For us in private schools, it is an ongoing thing and it has to be with the support of government, security agencies, parents and the general public.

    “We promise that we will continue to do our best to work with the administration to ensure that things do not go wrong. For the schools that were closed down, we have looked at the list and most of them are not our members. We promise that we will continue to let our members know the necessity of doing the right thing for these children.

    “There is madness and insecurity everywhere. Our children are being used not only to perpetrate crime but also to kill themselves and destroy their souls.

    “Ebola has set in amid all these. We want to plead that this administration should also work on the health issue, especially on sensitisation of schools on Ebola virus. We also promise to work with government to achieve the desired aim. Peace has deserted us and this is a time for reflection, repentance, co-operation, gathering of resources and time for concrete action.

    We must seek peace with ourselves and most especially with God. This is the time for us all to fight the tragedy that has bedeviled us.”

    Royal fathers also joined the call for more security measures.

    The Nyee of Gariki, His Royal Majesty Alhaji Usman Ngakupe advised parents to look after their wards, even as he urged teachers to take their job seriously.

  • N252m vehicles impounded in Imo

    The Nigeria Customs Service  (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (F.O.U.) Zone ‘C’ seized some exotic vehicles and goods worth N252, 126, 800 in July.

    Its Area Controller Dimka Victor David said 37 seizures were made last month in the Southeast and Southsouth.

    Thirty-six of the 37 seizures, he said, were vehicles ranging from Toyota Highlander, Infinity jeep, Lexus jeep and cars, BMW, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Corolla, to Toyota 4 Runner.

    According to Dimka, this was an indication of an increase in the number of vehicles smuggled into the zone in July.

    Dimka said there was a similar increase in smuggling in rice about five months ago but that it was tackled and reduced, adding that that of imported frozen poultry products earlier in the year also went down.

    The Area controller said the influx of imported furniture, second hand clothing, foreign detergents and foot wears had been tackled by officers of the command.

    Dimka, however, said the smugglers shifted attention to car smuggling, assuring that his men can deal with them and ensure that those apprehended face the law.

    He assured that the unit would not fold her arms and watch the smugglers sabotage the economy, vowing that some car dealers would be compelled to present the documents of vehicles in their shops to ensure that they are genuine.

    Dimka said the Comptroller-General of Customs Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko was in support of the unit, stressing that the support has spurred officers and men of the unit to greater height in the performance of their statutory duties.

    Customs Public Relations Officer of the zone, Onuigbo Ifeoma, also urged public with useful information on smuggling to volunteer it to the unit to enable them to fish out smugglers.

    Meanwhile, the NCS said it collected N1.28 billion in the first half of the year in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    This is contained in the command’s ‘Revenue Collection Analysis’ report.

    The service stated the amount was part of the N3.4 billion revenue target given to the service by the government.

    It said N513.82 million was collected in the first quarter and N769.99 million in the second quarter.

    The revenue was generated from duties, Value Added Tax (VAT), fees and levies.

  • APC inaugurates FCT executive committee

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated a 25-member executive for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), even as it inaugurated its AMAC secretariat.

    While inaugurating members of the new executive, the chairman of the party, Hon. Abdulmalik Usman urged them to embark on mass mobilisation and registration of new members that will place the party in a good stead in future elections.

    He further said new members who will be issued the permanent voter’s card will bring about the change which Nigerians desperately need.

    Usman said the APC in the FCT will do everything necessary, be it room-to-room or house-to-house campaign to ensure that residents, including those in the most remote parts of the FCT, are mobilised for registration.

    His words: “Your task is to ensure that the slogan of the party which is change starts from you as a leader and it will be extended to your followers in all the wards. Your first assignment is to go around the wards, mobilising and sensitising the people, reminding them of the need to have their voter’s card.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will commence issuance of the new permanent voter’s card for those that were underage during the last registration and who have come of age now. It will be your job to encourage them to register.

    “Mobilising people to register for their voter’s card will be the weapon that we will use to effect the change that we yearn for. There will be no change without the voter’s card and the card remains the only weapon that we can use to change the government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “You will have to do whatever it takes; if it is a door-to-door or house-to-house campaign to mobilise our people at the grassroots to make sure that we come out en masse to get that weapon which is our voter’s card for use on Election Day to chase these people out of power, you have to do it.”

    On the Ekiti election Usman said: “The Ekiti election is a lesson to both parties. We all know that during the Ekiti election, the PDP government used the military to make sure that they scare people from coming out to vote. In this particular election and the general elections, it cannot happen because the number of the military in this country cannot take the equal number of what was sent to Ekiti if sent to all states. So, there will be a free atmosphere for Nigerians to vote.”

    One of the members of the executive, Emma Ezeazu who donated cars and motorcycles to ward chairmen said: “I donated the cars and motorcycles to make the party stronger, to build it and to make it stand a better chance to perform well in future elections. We will mobilise our party members and others to register and collect their cards.

    “Nigerians need to understand the need to have a strong opposition, without which our democracy will not grow. Whatever I’m doing is to strengthen the opposition so that there will be a great competition for the benefit of the people.”

    AMAC APC Publicity Secretary, Yunusa Hassan, explained that AMAC executive comprises 25 members drawn from the different wards. He also said there are areas where motorcycles are not permitted in the municipal council. This, he said, informed the provision of cars for some ward chairmen while others were given motorcycles.

  • FCT traders protest

    Traders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) protested yesterday against the service charge ‘imposed’ on them by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

    They said the charge contravenes the transformation agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.

    Chairman, Kaura Modern Market Traders Association, Patrick Akudolu, said their protest was to demand explanation from the AEPB and the market managers on why they were charged several times for the same service.

    The traders’ protest ended at the DD 6 venue of the mobile court within the market, where the Senior Magistrate 2, Musa Abdulrazaque Eneye, of Court 3 Magistrate’s Court, Wuse Zone 2, had arrived to commence trial.

    The sight of the protesters led to the cancellation of the trial as the magistrate was ferried out in his official car.

    Akudolu said they had written to the AEPB. He said instead of answers, shops were sealed and trump up charges filed against the traders.

    The Business Development Manager, Berwick Nigeria Limited, Uche Ukaigwe said AEPB was used to enforce the payment of service charges, which the traders did not pay.

  • Subsidised grains for FCT farmers

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sold grains to residents at a subsidised rate.

    The idea of the FCT buffer stock programme the administration says is geared towards reducing wastage and ultimately ensuring food security in the territory.

    To ensure that several residents benefit from the sale, 16,507 bags of maize, 1,880 bags of guinea corn, and 2,393 bags of millet all in 50kg packs were sold at 50 per cent subsidised rate as a bag of maize and guinea corn were sold for N2,200 while millet was sold for N3,000.

    Minister of State for the FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide said the event is a showcase for the giant strides the administration is making towards transforming agriculture from being a development intervention into a business enterprise.

    She said that the programme was designed to use agriculture as an engine for business and entrepreneurship rather than development intervention.

    She said: “By this intervention, government aims to increase the productivity of farmers as well as empower the youth and women through various forms of agric business. Consequently, the FCT Administration is championing value addition, sourcing for markets, enlightenment, sensitisation and education of farmers on the availability of new technologies and new ways of agriculture.

    “The FCTA therefore, is tearing its barns and expanding its walls to make room for the anticipated growth in harvest from the current buffer stock capacity of 1,250 metric tons to 3,250MT as a result of the boost.

    “For that reason, we are opening the floodgates of our storehouses to FCT farmers and residents in order to bridge the gap created by the intervening period, when all the crops would have gone into the ground. This is with a view to stabilising the prices of produce as we await yet another bumper harvest.”

  • FCT builds three waste stations

    As part of efforts to keep the Federal Capital Territory  always clean, the Administration has expended over N3. 6 billion in the construction of three waste transfer stations as well as purchase equipment for waste management in the capital city.

    The Acting Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Mrs. Aishat Adebowale revealed this when the House of Representatives Committee on Environment visited the board as part of its oversight functions.

    She spoke at an interactive session with the committee headed by Hon. Uche Ekwunife.

    “The the construction of the three waste transfer stations was awarded in 2011at the cost of N2, 957, 572, 096. 35.” She said though the project had been impeded by a number of challenges, “it is about 39. 5 per cent completed.”

    She said: “The waste transfer stations with a combined capacity of 13,000 tons per day will be equipped with waste-sorting facilities, thereby promoting waste recycling and resource utilisation with the associated environmental benefits to the territory.”

    She also told the committee that “contract for the supply of six units Roll-On-Roll- Off (RORO) trucks was awarded in March, 2012 at the cost of N203, 590, 497.36. The project has been partly executed with the supply of two units.”

    “Another contract for the supply of 12 units of motorised street sweepers was awarded in January, 2012 at the cost of N405, 677, 546.40,” she said, adding that the project has been fully executed and inaugurated,” she said.

    According to her, central sewage system is employed for liquid waste management in the FCT.

    “The sewage, which is a separate system, is composed of a sewer network of about 700 kilometres and about 90-kilometre trunk line,” she said.

    Speaking earlier, Hon. Uche Ekwunife had said her committee was interested in how far the board has gone on the issue of sanitary landfills and waste treatment plants.

    While commending the AEPB in its effort so far at ensuring a clean and green city, particularly within the city centre of Abuja, Ekwuni said there was also need to concentrate on the satellite towns.

    “We would very much like to see a situation where the satellite towns are looking as clean and green as the city centre,” she said.

    The lawmaker, however, wondered how the waste transfer stations with sorting facilities would effectively function when the citizens that would generate the waste have not been enlightened on how to sort their waste for recycling purposes.

    She urged the AEPB to adopt a more effective waste collection procedure and to do more in enlightening the residents in order to make the efforts of the board more effective.

  • Drivers get ultimatum on registration

    The Transportation Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has given all unregistered commercial vehicle operators up to October 1 to have their bio-data captured in the secretariat’s data base or be barred from operating within the FCT.

    Mr. Ifeanyi Ughamadu, Head of Public Relations of the Secretariat explained in a statement a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, that the operators’ bio-data would be captured at the Transportation Secretariat data base, after which the information would be made available in hard and soft copies to agencies and organisations that require such for cross checking of the identities of the licensed taxi operators in their premises.

    Ughamadu further said residents of the territory should refrain from patronising unregistered and unpainted taxi cabs in the FCT, even as he said that the directive has become necessary following several reported cases of crimes committed against innocent commuters by criminals using unpainted vehicles.

    “To ensure the safety of commuters in the territory, the Transportation Secretariat has embarked on bio-data capturing of all commercial vehicle operators in the Territory,” he said.

    He also stated that the suspension of the scheme has not affected the implemented on street parking policy in the FCT. He added that motorists are advised to adhere strictly to the long practices on street parking policy in the city.

    “The Transportation Secretariat wishes to remind motorists of the consequences of wrong parking on the FCT roads. He called on them to adhere to the FCT traffic rules so as to make the city a lively place to dwell in.

    “Any vehicle that is parked on the walkways, flower verges, drainage covers and or blocking free traffic movements would be towed away and the vehicle owner will pay for the cost of the removal,” he stated.