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Tag: FCTA

  • FTAN forum tourism holds next month

    FTAN forum tourism holds next month

    The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria [FTAN] in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory Administration [FCTA] has announced that the second edition of their Tourism Investment Forum will hold next month.

    The event slated for June 10-11, 2014 will be held at the prestigious Ladi Kwali Hall of Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

    According to Chief Tomi Akingbogun, President of FTAN, the objectives of the program are to among others enable stakeholders to discuss and address some vital element towards the development and maintenance of tourism products and destinations that can induce creation of new tourism frontiers.

    Other reasons according to Akingbogun for the forum are, to showcase the potentials of the tourism sector to the economic development of Nigeria; to organize as well as to promote local tourism products and destinations to Nigerians before taking the same to the international market; and to strengthen relationship between the tourism investors and their services/product providers.

    The two-day event will include seminar and exhibition and are expected to give a new direction for the tourism industry; with participants expected from federal agencies, states, airlines, hotels, travel agents, and tour operators among others.

    FTAN President assured that necessary contacts are still being made within and outside the sector to mobilise stakeholders to grace the second edition of the investment forum next month.

    Meanwhile, this year’s edition presentations will include; Developing Nigeria’s Travel and Tourism: The Kenyan Experience by the Managing Director of Kenyan Tourism Board, Travel and Tourism Contribution To Nigeria Gross Domestic Products [GDP] by the Director General of Federal Office of Statistics [FOS], Identifying Nigeria’s Tourism Products by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation and Medical Tourism: Prospect in Ondo State.

    Other papers to be presented are, Balancing Tourism Development and Revenue Generation by the Minister of Finance and  Coordinating Minister for the Economy,  Application of Legal Framework for Sustainable Travel and Tourism Development in Nigeria, FCT as an Emerging Conference Destination in Africa by FCT Minister, Affordable Air Transport: Tool for Development of Tourism by Captain Boyo and finally Promoting Domestic Tourism: Tool for National Economic Development by the Director general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation [NTDC]

    Chief Tomi noted that the tourism investment’s forum will be used to urge the government to quickly address some difficulties operators are facing, especially high interest rates, double taxation, and the need for reorientation of Nigerians to patronize local tourism products/destinations, that the current level of occupancy and low tourism activities in the country cannot support.

    NTIFE is an annual convergence of public and private sector Tourism practitioners, Federal and State officials.

    The 2013 edition recorded a huge success with over 3,000 participants and exhibitors in attendance.

  • ‘WASSCE on-going in Abuja’

    ‘WASSCE on-going in Abuja’

    Pupils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) writing the May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will not be affected by the closure of public offices and schools.

    The Federal Government ordered the closure because of the World Economic Forum, which begins today and ends on Friday.

    The Secretary for Education, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Kabir Usman, said: “Like those on essential services, the pupils are free to move unhindered to their examination centres.

    “They are however advised to wear their uniforms and carry their identity cards at all times.

    “Public and private schools are also advised to convey their pupils from designated points to the examination centres.”

    The statement advised parents and pupils to contact the head teachers for further details.

  • FCTA spends N635m on free medication

    FCTA spends N635m on free medication

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has spent N635 million on programmes relevant to lives of women and children dwelling in the rural areas.

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed made this known while flagging off this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week at the Gwarinpa District Hospital, Abuja.

    He said the programmes included free antenatal care, free medical treatment for children under five years and distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated nets to households.

    Mohammed said: “For these schemes, we have procured and distributed life-saving drugs like Mebendazole, anti-malaria, desolate, folic acid, antibiotics and oral rehydration salts to 248 health facilities spread across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.”

    While noting the FCT Administration’s achievements in the healthcare sector, Senator Mohammed reiterated his administration’s commitment to achieve more because of his belief that there is always room for improvement.

    The minister restated that Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week has been packaged by the FCT Administration as a way of delivering interventions that have been proven to be cost-effective, good quality, impactful and result-oriented for good health of mothers and children.

    He remarked that the theme for the celebration was “A Package for a Lifetime of Better Health for the Family” with the slogan “A package of care for healthy family.” This will ensure full participation of all residents.

    In order to make it impactful and beneficial to the people at the grassroots, Senator Mohammed therefore directed that the initiative be celebrated in all the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

    He further directed that celebrations in the six area councils should be focused extensively on activities that will create awareness and facility-based service delivery that targets women and children.

    The FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide said, to ensure the success of the programme, about 3,000 trained health workers would be deployed to provide quality primary healthcare in at least 248 health facilities and 496 outreach sites spread across the FCT.

    She said last year, the FCT Administration introduced Community Health Insurance Scheme in 30 communities of the FCT to improve healthcare delivery services and access for the residents.

    The FCT Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya said the FCT Administration under the leadership of Senator Mohammed, is passionately committed to engendering improved health for women and children in the FCT regardless of where they are from.

    Onakomaiya solicited the participation and involvement of all stakeholders, especially members of the organised private sector as well as development partners in all health activities.

  • YWCA to build N1.2b office

    The Young Women Christian Association of Nigeria (YWCA) has sought a piece of land from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to build a hostel for stranded young girls in Abuja.

    Its National President, Mrs. Hwongchun Majek, said yesterday that the association needs N1.2 billion to enable it build a secretariat in Abuja.

    Mrs. Majek decried an increasing rate of cohabitation among young girls, adding that the hostel would cushion the effect of high rent in Abuja.

    She said: “We want to build our hostel and secretariat here in Abuja to enable us reach out to girls who come into town without having anybody to stay with at a rent not more than N2000 monthly.

    The secretariat would include an organisational office for YWCA, hostel for short term stay, skill acquisition centre, meeting and training halls, among others.

     

  • FCTA remits N3.2b to PENCOM

    FCTA remits N3.2b to PENCOM

    The FCT Administration has remitted N3.2 billion to the National Pension Commission in 2013 as contributory funds of staff of the administration and the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.

    The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, disclosed this while receiving the Director-General of the Commission that paid him a working visit.

    The minister further said that the payment was done after due reconciliations between the officials of the FCT Administration and the National Pension Commission.

    Senator Mohammed revealed that in addition, about N92 million is now being worked out to pay the commission being the outstanding of fee the FCT Contributory Pension fund.

    The minister, however, called on the management of the National Pension Commission to look into ways of investing the huge amount of funds available to it in infrastructural development instead of remaining idle.

    He said the commission can moderate the law establishing it to enable it go into partnership with genuine investors where such funds can be used thereby reducing over-dependence on foreign capital inflow.

    Senator Mohammed stated that such partnership could be guaranteed by a reputable bank in the country to take off the risk aspect of the investment from the commission.

    According to him, infrastructure such as roads, housing and transportation are bankable and that money stockpiled at the National Pension Commission can be used to turn around infrastructure in the country with profitable interest to all parties.

    His words: “The banks can be used to float bonds for such purposes which could be beneficial to all parties involved”.

    He said for instance, the Abuja Master Plan has about 79 districts with nine sector centres in the Federal Capital City and with only 11 Districts as well as two Sector Centres were so far developed while about 80 percent of such districts have not been attended to due to the paucity of funds.

    The minister promised to make available a plot of land for PENCOM to build its State-of-the-Art headquarters after the commission has met all administrative processes.

    Speaking earlier, the Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, remarked that she has gone round the country including the FCTA to explain the merit of PENCOM scheme to the end users.

    The director-general noted that ignorance from the people seems to be working against the commission especially some members of the Organised Private Sector that are not keen in joining the scheme.

    She pointed out that the National Pension Commission has opened zonal offices across the country to strengthen its performance.

  • New guidelines for Abuja park operators

    Many Abuja motorists are fed up with park operators who determine how people park their vehicles in the public space.

    And as a result, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to issue new guidelines that will make them render fair services to the public.

    This, the authorities say, will reduce the number of complaints lodged with it by people on account of their method of operation.The FCTA has already set up a model for the guidelines, even as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Senator Bala Mohammed has already set up a committee to look into the up street parking.The FCT Secretary of Transport, Engr. Jonathan Ivoke disclosed this in a chat with newsmen during which he acknowledged the alleged shrewd activities of the on-street parking consultants who are short changing the residents.

    ”The minister has set up a committee to look into the on-street parking in Abuja due to the level of complaints we have been receiving. We realised that some of them do not pay their workers while some pay them very little; which is the reason for most of their behaviours,” he said.Ivoke also added that the managements of on-street parking have no right to occupy open spaces because these are off-street zones. He further said that “unlike their usual ways of removing number plates of cars belonging to offenders, they do not have the mandate to remove anybody’s number plate.He therefore instructed the Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) popularly referred to as VIO, to remove all abandoned vehicles on the FCT highways.He noted that the removal of these abandoned vehicles on the FCT roads will go a long way in improving the level of security as well as reducing traffic bottlenecks experienced most times.

    Ivoke remarked that some of these abandoned vehicles sometimes cause avoidable accidents.He re-affirmed the commitment of the FCT Administration to complete the multi-billion Naira Abuja rail project by 2015 as promised by the FCT Minister. ”The Abuja rail is a priority project of the Federal Government which would be driven to a logical conclusion to serve residents of the Federal Capital Territory as transportation is life,” he said.

     

  • Fcta to employ after promotion exercise

    Fcta to employ after promotion exercise

    In order to maintain the chain in the service of the FCT Administration, the government will embark on a recruitment exercise after it is done with the biometric and promotion exercises next year.

    The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed said this to the FCT Workers Unions while meeting with them after they withdrew from their warning strike last Monday at the Banquet Hall, FCT Minister Official Residence, Gwarinpa I District, Abuja. The Minister pointed out that with the conclusion of the biometric and promotion exercises in the first quarter of 2014, there would be some vacancies to be created, which would immediately be filled with the new recruits to maintain the chain in the service.

    Senator Mohammed also announced that his administration would establish a durable and functional transport system for all the FCT Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to ameliorate their transport problem especially for those at the lower cadre.

    He however remarked that such transportation system would be paid for, because of the existing policy of monetization for public servants.

    The Minister, who revealed that considerable amount of money had been expended on staff training this fiscal year, said that as from next year, the FCT Administration will have a Training Master Plan to guide all SDAs.

    His words: “Accordingly, all staff training would be planned with specific officer to ensure that such staff development programme go round to avoid unnecessary acrimony”.

    Senator Mohammed remarked that with this new policy, staff training for all the cadres in the FCT Administration service would have their training requirement clearly spelt out, adequately budgeted for and transparently allotted to deserving staff.

    According to him, the FCT Administration under his supervision has never delayed staff salary as wages and salaries are always paid on or before the 25thof every month and urged the Unions to instead commend the Administration for such pro-active gesture.

    Senator Mohammed recalled that in the history of the FCT Administration it is only this administration, which has paid 13th month salary bonus in 2011; insisting that the records are there.

    The Minister thus, noted that though his administrationn started it, but it would not be possible in this fiscal year because of the heavy debt burden as one cant be indebted and at the same time be giving bonuses.

  • Fcta pays n3.6b staff salary monthly

    Despite the grievances of some staff of the FCT Administration, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has assured that the issues raised would be tackled as he revealed that the Administration has a staff strength of over 28,000 personnel and pays about N3.6 billion monthly as staff wages and salaries.

    Mohammed said this as some staff of the administration staged a peaceful rally over some welfare issues.

    The Minister, who was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu remarked that it was this high number of staff and huge monthly wage bill that informed the decision of the FCT

    Administration to embark on biometric exercise to ascertain that these monies are not being paid to ghost workers.

    Senator Mohammed reiterated that there is no way any reasonable Administration would embark on promotion exercise without first verifying the actual number of its workforce and ensuring that Manpower budget, vacancies, establishment and budget are provided to cater for the additional costs envisaged.

    “The FCT Administration wants to ensure that every dime spent is well spent with commensurate value in tune with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government”, he stressed.

    According to him, the FCT Administration under his supervision has never delayed staff salary as wages and salaries are always paid on or before the 25th of every month and urged the staff to instead commend him for such patriotic gesture.

    Senator Mohammed recalled that in the history of the FCT Administration it has only been his administration, which has paid 13th month salary in 2011; insisting that the records are there.

    The Minister stated that the biometric exercise has been concluded and over 3,000 staff, have cases to iron out; adding that to be sure that injustice is not done to any staff, those with cases have now been rescreened and cleared in batches while their salaries are restored accordingly.

    He emphasized that after all these done; the government would now embark on promotion exercise based on the vacancies declared and availability of funds.

    On long service award, the Minister revealed that his administration has already set aside some plots of land to be given to some staff with meritorious long service in the FCT Administration. He however,

    noted that some staff had already been allocated plots.

    The Minister disclosed that his administration is making arrangements with reputable Motor Companies in conjunction with financial institutions to organize a Car Loan Scheme for befitting staff.

    The Administration is also working on the allocation of Affordable Housing plots for the staff Cooperative Societies and the Unions to have befitting staffing housing scheme for its members, he added.

  • FCTA, firm seal abattoir deal

    FCTA, firm seal abattoir deal

     

     

     

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and lease agreement with a private investor, Capital Meat Processing Company Nigeria Limited for the establishment of an ultra-modern Abuja Central Abattoir at Tungan Maje in Gwagwalada Area Council of the territory.

    The agreement valued at N1.25 billion was signed by the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mrs. Olvadi Bema Madayi on behalf of the FCT Administration while the Chairman of Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Dr. Umaru Mutallab and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aliyu El-Nafatu, signed for the company.

    Akinjide, who explained that the central abattoir would be constructed on the basis of public private partnership management, said the project would be completed and operational within 12 months.

    She noted that the construction of the ultra-modern Abuja central abattoir became imperative in order to ensure that FCT residents consume beef prepared in hygienic environment.

    “When completed, the abattoir will have the capacity of slaughtering 500 heads of cattle and 1,500 sheep and goat per day. In the meat processing and fabrication component, about 40 tonnes of meat would be processed into about 10 number products such as sausages, hotdogs, steaks, premium and briskets, among others.

    “It is expected  that when fully operational about 1,000 jobs would be created including professionals like veterinarians, para-veterinarians, livestock officers, butchers, technicians, labourers and drivers, among others,” the minister disclosed.

    She added that the foreign technical partners of the private investor would transfer meat processing technology to their Nigerian partners and also train the Nigerian personnel in the art of processing, curing, aging, fabrication, storage and packaging of meat.

    The minister assured that the new abattoir would be of international standard and would meet the requirements of the World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture Organisation.

    Responding on behalf of the private investor, the Chairman of Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, praised the FCT Administration for its determination and commitment to ensure a hygienic environment for meat processing in the territory.

    “Our interest in establishing an ultra-modern abattoir stems from the need to ensure that the public consumes hygienic food in the FCT. We assure all stakeholders of our determination to make this work,” Mutallab stated.

     

  • FCTA would-be pilgrims fly out

    FCTA would-be pilgrims fly out

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration has started airlifting pilgrims from the territory to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj.

    The approved airline for the FCT, Max Air, airlifted 1,030 pilgrims from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Jeddah through two flights of 530 and 500 pilgrims.

    Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, who bade farewell to the pilgrims at the Permanent Hajj Camp near the Abuja Airport, advised them to be good ambassadors of the country in the Holy Land.

    “I wish to call upon the intending pilgrims to pray for peace, unity and prosperity of our country and to support our leaders in prayers. Through prayers, Nigeria and the incumbent government will accomplish great things.

    “The FCT Administration remains committed to doing everything possible to ensure that FCT contingent gets the best treatment,” she said.

    The minister assured the pilgrims that the FCT Administration would continue to work hard to articulate policies and programmes that would improve the annual Hajj exercise, including provision of excellent welfare packages for pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    She disclosed that the FCT had been allocated five flights for the airlift of its pilgrims, which had been concluded on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 11:30p.m.

    She recalled that the FCT and other states of the federation had to contend with the 20 per cent reduction in Hajj seats allocation across the world.

    “As a result of this development, the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board had to design a realistic means of addressing the problem. Open balloting was conducted under the active supervision of key stakeholders; and the exercise was transparent and conducted in an orderly manner.

    “We must accept this as a design of destiny which we lack the power to change. However, I have given directive for special consideration and attention for all those who missed out, in this year’s Hajj exercise as well as prompt refund for those who so desired,” Akinjide said while flagging off the first flight from the FCT.

    The Director of FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajiya Fatima Sulaiman Gummi, said the agency had undertaken series of activities for the benefits of the pilgrims.

    She listed the activities to include: sensitisation and orientation exercise, induction courses at the area councils’ level, medical screening of all intending pilgrims and immunisation exercises.

    “The FCT Administration, through the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, has secured befitting accommodation for its contingent in Makkah.

    “I wish to call on all our intending pilgrims from the FCT to be law-abiding and respect all policies. I will also call on our pilgrims to strictly abide by the transport system regulations, feeding arrangement and luggage policy as well as flight schedules,” Gummi advised.

    The minister was received at the Permanent Hajj Camp by the FCT 2013 Amirul Hajj, Gen. Abdullahi Bagudu Mamman (rtd); Chairman of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Ustaz Musa Mohammed; a member of the board, Ambassador Abdulwahab Mohammed Saleh; Chairman of Ministerial Committee on the FCT 2013 Hajj, Alhaji Yusuf Dayyabu and Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Area Councils and Resettlement, Alhaji Yusuf Tsaiyabu, among others.