The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA)

  • FCTA to designate parks for intra-city transport operators — official

    FCTA to designate parks for intra-city transport operators — official

    The FCTA Transport Secretary, Mr Kayode Opeifa, has announced plans to designate motor parks for intra-city commercial vehicle operators in Abuja within the next few months.

    Opeifa made the announcement during interactive session with members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said the initiative was part of efforts by Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to restore sanity to the transport sector in the nation’s capital.

    He added that it would also check the frequent clash between commercial drivers and the FCT joint security taskforce.

    To this end, Opeifa said a joint committee would set up membership drawn from transport unions and the transport secretariat to work out the modalities.

    He solicited the understanding and cooperation of operators with the FCTA in its bid to actualise the Abuja Transportation Master Plan for the benefit of all.

    Describing operators as key stakeholders in the sector, the secretary urged them to always toe the path of dialogue in their engagements with government and other players.

    He said government was looking into their grievances, including alleged extortion and harassment by security agents, restriction of mini-buses and painted taxis in some areas, among others.

    Opeifa used the opportunity to reiterate that no driver was killed by the FCT taskforce at Wuse Market on Nov. 8 as widely reported in the media.

    He urged them to properly verify whatever information they received before taking action and promised to facilitate harmonious relationship between them and the taskforce.

    The secretary said “we don’t want tension here or any problem between you and the police. We need you as partners to sanitise the transport sector in the FCT.

    “We will soon establish what we call Traffic Management Mayors or Marshals, and you will be actively involved.

    “At least 100 of you will be selected to join as traffic controllers and managers in all parts of the territory. We are in the process of making that happen.”

    Opeifa also promised to sustain the interactive sessions with them to promote understanding and synergy.

    Some of the union members, including the FCT Chairman of NURTW, Mr Isah Usman, commended the transport secretary for giving them listening ears and
    promised to cooperate with him.

  • FCTA to support beneficiaries of Fadama III to access land

    FCTA to support beneficiaries of Fadama III to access land

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it would support beneficiaries of the Fadama III Additional Financing Graduates Unemployed Youths and Women Agro-Preneur Support (GUYS) programme to acquire lands.

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said this on Tuesday in Zuba, near Abuja at the official inauguration of Fadama III Additional Financing GUYS.

    Bello, represented by Hajia Amina Abubakar, the Director of Human Resources Development, FCTA, commended the National Office of Fadama III Additional Financing for the initiative to support unemployed graduates in the country.

    “Let me make a request that the FCT be provided a special consideration in order to meet up the expected target of 300 trainees as obtained in other states.

    “I have been briefed that land was an issue that made many of the prospective candidates to lose out.

    “In this connection, the FCTA will ensure that all qualified youths are adequately supported to access land for the production activities that will be needed,” he said.

    The minister said the initiative would contribute significantly to the attainment of food security, job creation and income generation among youths and women.

    He called on the beneficiaries to be fully rededicated to the programme, so that they would be equipped to succeed in their chosen agricultural enterprise at the end of the training.

    Dr Musa Aliyu, the Acting Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA, commended the FCT Office of the Fadama III Additional Financing for the achievement recorded since its inception.

    He said more than 330 business plans from Fadama Groups across the FCT had been approved and implementation commenced in earnest.

    “All these achievements would not have been possible without the unflinching support of the FCTA.

    “Of particular note was the approval by the minister for the release of outstanding counterpart funds, which made the FCT Fadama III Additional Financing project disbursement effective,” he said.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Salisu, the Coordinator, FCT Fadama III Additional Financing said the beneficiaries were selected following their passion for agriculture and willingness to become agro-preneurs.

    He said the training would be conducted by the Department of Agriculture, FCT College of Education Zuba, in collaboration with the FCT Fadama Coordination Office.

    Salisu said the beneficiaries would be trained in crop, livestock, Fish, poultry, and grass-cutter production, agro-inputs machinery as well as advisory services and extension.

    He said 122 unemployed youths and women would benefit from the two weeks intensive training programme.