Tag: FCTA

Afro-pop star and social justice crusader, Ayokanmi Eyanro professionally known as Frequencie, has charged the Federal Capital Territory Authority under the leadership of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to tackle the menace of ‘One Chance’ (kidnapping and extortion of unsuspecting passengers by criminal elements).

Frequencie, in a statement issued on Friday, condemned frequent incidences of ‘One Chance’ in Nigeria’s capital city.

According to him, the cases of ‘One Chance’ in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja is becoming worrisome. It’s a growing menace and the FCTA and the federal government must strengthen the security agencies to protect Abuja residents from criminals kidnapping and extorting them.

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He noted that many people have been trapped in the criminals den as a result of this menace.

Frequencie urged the government to introduce compulsory registration for every car owner using their vehicle for commercial activities in Abuja.

He also called for introduction of affordable mass transit to cushion the effect of high transport fare occasioned by removal of fuel subsidy, noting that the criminal elements are exploring high transport rates to lure people with cheaper fares.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting elderly citizens from various forms of abuse, like neglect, physical, emotional, and financial abuse within the territory.

The assurance was given by the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, in commemoration of the 2025 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), celebrated under the theme “Beyond Age.”

Fasawe explained that WEAAD, marked globally on June 15, seeks to raise awareness about the often-silent abuse of older persons and to promote the protection of their rights and dignity.

She noted that under the leadership of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the FCTA is actively supporting elderly residents through initiatives like the Renewed Hope Initiative Support for the Elderly, which aims to improve their overall wellbeing.

The Secretariat also supported the maiden edition of the initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which provided free medical screenings for elderly persons in Abuja.

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According to a statement issued on Sunday by her Special Assistant, Media, Bola Ajao, to mark the 2025 WEAAD, Dr. Fasawe urged residents, community leaders, and health professionals to value older citizens for their experiences and contributions.

She advised the public to watch for signs of abuse such as unexplained injuries, fearfulness, sudden financial changes, and withdrawal and report concerns to the appropriate authorities.

In support of elder protection, Ajao said HSES plans to upgrade geriatric services, train frontline health workers to detect and respond to abuse, and collaborate with community and religious leaders to raise awareness and uphold the dignity of older people.

She further called on federal ministries, NGOs, CSOs, and development partners to work with the FCTA in advancing policies that prevent exploitation, improve social inclusion and mental wellbeing, enhance access to care, and establish effective reporting and support systems for abuse cases.

According to Fasawe, this is a collective call to action to look “Beyond Age” to respect and include older people in society, challenge stereotypes, and protect them from neglect and abuse.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to demolish more than 10 buildings in an estate located in the Wumba area of Abuja within the next 48 hours for encroaching on waterways and green zones.

The planned demolition followed multiple warnings issued to the developers, which were reportedly ignored.

Chief Felix Obuah, Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), disclosed this on Thursday during an inspection tour of the area alongside development control officials.

Obuah also visited Utako, where he condemned ongoing illegal developments by a developer he described as persistently defiant of regulatory orders.

He said, “I did promise that every illegal structure going on in Abuja would go down. I am here again today to see that we have mobilized equipment and personnel to make sure that the illegal structure going on in this area in Utako, in the waterway, is going down.

“You can see for yourself, we have mobilized machinery and personnel. Just like I did promise, the whole thing is going down. We have to actually make sure that we sanitize this nonsense that is going on in Abuja. We can’t allow it to happen, because the Minister meant well. He is doing all his best. For those of us who are in AMMC, it is left for us to do the needful, which we are doing.

“You can see the workers and that work is still going on. When we invited the developers to provide legal documents for the activities they were carrying out, we discovered that there were no papers, no approval, no allocation. So I asked him to stop work. You can see that the work is still going on. So these properties that you are seeing there, they are all going down.

“Come back here in the next 48 hours, you’d see everything down. I have told you we are not going to take it lightly again with any illegal developer that doesn’t want to retain the master plan of Abuja.

“This area is a green area. We have invited the developer and asked him to stop working but then he doesn’t want to do that. The only language he will hear is, we will bring everything here down. That is all”, he declared.

Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima also disclosed that the developers had no approvals.

Galadima said; “We invited the developer to provide legal documents. There was nothing, no approval, no allocation. Instead of stopping, work continued, so we had no choice but to act”.

He stressed that the enforcement would not only continue but would be intensified across the city.

“Abuja must be guided by its Master Plan. Wherever violations exist be it green areas, flood plains, or road corridors we will reclaim them. Illegal developers must understand that the only language we speak now is compliance,” Galadima said. “We will not allow impunity. If you do not have the legal backing for your structure, it is coming down”, Galadima added.

The Director, FCT Parks and recreation, Tpl. Chinemelu Echee painted a vivid picture of what’s at stake.

He said; “If you look around these facilities, you’d see it’s surrounded by hills, rocks, and beautiful trees. This is the natural terrain designed for recreation. These are spaces meant to serve the estates nearby places where families come to relax and breathe. Yet, what we are witnessing is the destruction of the ecosystem without any authorization.”

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He warned that the illegal developments in places like Wumba District Park are disasters waiting to happen.

“These hills and trees are supposed to cool the environment and help mitigate global warming, but instead, they’re being wiped out,” he said.

According to Echee, the area bears the features of a recreation zone, yet developers have moved in without any valid allocation.

He said; “Everything here is illegal. If it had a name or legal allocation, we would know. We’re not only halting the destruction we’re reversing it”.

The coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Federal Capital Territory Administration, Felix Obuah, has ordered the immediate closure of Myra Event Centre in Abuja due to noise pollution.

Obuah announced the directive in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.

He explained that the centre, located at Plot 135, Mustapha Bello Street, Guzape, was polluting the environment with noise, particularly at night, along with other transgressions.

He stated that the centre would remain closed until further notice.

The coordinator mentioned that the action is part of ongoing efforts to address noise pollution and other environmental violations across the nation’s capital.

He reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy for violations that threaten public health and community harmony.

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He advised event centres against noise pollution, stressing the need to operate within the provisions of environmental laws governing their operations.

According to him, any event centre that engages in noise pollution will be closed down immediately.

Obuah urged FCT residents to report environmental violations through AMMC official channels, emphasising the need for collective action to protect the environment for the public good.

…gifts pregnant women delivery kits  

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality through strategic interventions.

FCTA also provided free antenatal care, delivery services, and health insurance for pregnant women in the nation’s capital. 

The Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, made this known during the flag-off of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) in Abuja.

The event which was in commemoration of the 2025 World Health Day has a theme “Healthy beginnings, Hopeful Futures,”.

Fasawe, emphasised the importance of maternal and child health to Nigeria’s development.

According to her: “It is unfortunate that out of every 100,000 women who give birth globally, about 397 die, and 70 percent of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa with Nigeria sadly leading that statistic”.

However, she assured that the Renewed Hope Initiative championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu is focused on reversing the trend. 

She added that: “every pregnant woman in the FCT is entitled to free health insurance,” she announced. “And whether you give birth vaginally or via cesarean section, it is completely free.”

While praising the advocacy role of the media Dr Fassawe urged journalists to amplify the message that maternal deaths are preventable. 

She also called on pregnant women to partner with the government by keeping antenatal appointments, choosing safe facility-based deliveries, and completing postnatal care including vaccinations for newborns.

 “This fight is not ours alone it’s also yours,” she said to the women in attendance. “We stand today because you, our pregnant women, are the guests of honour”, she noted.

The launch event served not only to commemorate World Health Day but also to symbolize a new era of “Healthy Beginnings and Hopeful Futures” for Nigerian mothers and children. With states and local governments signing on to compacts that bind them to these health targets, both speakers emphasized that this is a nationwide mandate that must be fulfilled.

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“We are ensuring that pregnant women in the FCT do not pay a kobo for antenatal care, delivery, or postnatal services. They will also be enrolled in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme at no cost,”

She stated, adding that the initiative aligns with the FCTA’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage.

Also speaking the Representative of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the National Coordinator Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) Project at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, said the initiative is a practical response to the President’s directive that “no woman should die as a result of childbirth.” 

The initiative, flagged off in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) includes free health insurance for pregnant women, access to free cesarean sections, mama delivery kits, and transportation vouchers, among others.

He said Nigeria currently contributes about 20 percent of global maternal deaths, a statistic that has driven the government’s resolve to take urgent action. 

“MAMII is not just a slogan,” he said. “It is a comprehensive programme aimed at ensuring that every pregnancy results in a healthy baby and a healthy mother. From providing mama kits and starter packs to revitalizing health facilities and offering transport vouchers, this initiative touches every part of the journey to motherhood”, he added.

Supporting the initiative, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, lauded the FCTA’s leadership and reiterated WHO’s backing for the MAMII project. 

“With interventions like the MAMII initiative, we are hopeful that every child will be born healthy, with the opportunity to grow, thrive, and prosper,” he said. 

Dr. Mulombo also pledged WHO’s commitment to ensuring accountability in the rollout of free health services, adding that: “As the Mandate Secretary has announced that insurance will be free, I will monitor to make sure it is truly free and that you benefit from it,” he affirmed, emphasizing that a “healthy beginning leads to a hopeful future.”

Owners of the revoked properties in the Federal Capital Territory risk losing them to the Federal Government, the Director of Land in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, hinted yesterday.

He said the FCTA will in due course take possession of properties built on all the 4,794 land titles revoked over unpaid ground rent.

Nwankwoeze stated this in Abuja after yesterday’s FCT Executive Committee meeting, chaired by the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

On Monday, the FCTA announced Wike’s approval for the revocation of 4,794 land titles over unpaid ground rent for more than 10 years.

Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, Mr. Lere Olayinka said at a news conference that a total of 8,375 property owners owed N6.97 billion as ground rent.

According to Nwankwoeze, many people were affected, including government institutions, private organisations and private individuals.

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He identified some of the proterties linked to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Nigerian Port Authority (NPA); Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Independent Electoral Commission (INEC); National Universities Commission (NUC); Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Others are: CONOIL, Borno and Kaduna governments; Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN); M.R.S Investment Company Limited (owners of MRS Petrol Stations) and the Federal Ministry of the Environment.

They include: Others are: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN); University of Calabar; Nigerian Postal Service and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), among others.

According to him, the properties of the 4,794 revoked titles have reverted to the FCTA “and in due course, the administration will take possession of them.”

He, however, said there might be a window for the affected land title owners to appeal to the minister for reconsideration.

The director said: “Anybody or any organisation, whose title is revoked by the minister, has a window to approach the minister or write to him, appealing for reinstatement of such title.

“The minister will look at it. If he wishes to reinstate the titles, he will; if there are conditions that will be attached to such reinstatement, if he considers it fit, he will.

“Then, if he decides not to reinstate, so be it, because warnings have been sent out in the past and people refuse to comply.”

Nwankwoeze further said that appealing for reinstatement was the best thing for the affected title holders to do and advised them against resorting to blackmail.

According to him, most of the revoked titles are located in the 10 oldest districts in Phase I, fully serviced with the engineering infrastructure and other services.

 He said: “So, if the government has fulfilled its part of the obligation by providing those facilities and amenities, you, a land title holder, is not doing your own part of the bargain, it will be difficult for the city to be managed.

“We implore everyone who has not paid the ground rent to do so, including land title holders in Phase II comprised of Gudu, Utako, Mabushi, Jabi, Daki-biyu, Katampe, Katampe Extension and Kado Districts among others.”