By Philip Yatai

The Office of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has denied any plan by the minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to invite the nation’s anti-graft agencies to investigate his predecessor, Malam Muhammad Bello.

The Director of Press, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, made the rebuttal in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Ogunleye said that the rebuttal was in response to a claim by an online media platform that Wike plans to invite EFCC and ICPC to investigate Bello.

He said that the false media publication alleged that Bello would be investigated for alleged irregularities in the award of contracts and other matters.

“We categorically and unequivocally state that these reports are entirely baseless and without any merit whatsoever.

“The FCT minister, during his routine inspections of various projects within the FCT, has indeed expressed concerns and frustrations regarding irregularities observed in the procurement and execution of certain projects, amongst other observations.

“However, at no point did he contemplate or authorize any action by anyone within or outside the FCT Administration to invite the EFCC or ICPC to investigate the former FCT minister in connection with these or any other matters.

“The online story in question is nothing more than a product of the imagination of its authors and is clearly designed to mischievously sow discord and confusion among the general public,” the director said.

Ogunleye said that the FCT Administration viewed such misinformation with great concern and urged the public to exercise caution when in contact with the unfounded reports.

The director of press added that the FCT minister remained focused on his responsibilities to ensure the efficient and transparent administration of the Federal Capital Territory.

“Any actions or decisions taken by the FCTA in this regard will be communicated through official channels and in accordance with due process.

“We, hereby, advise the public to disregard the story in its entirety, as it is nothing but a deliberate attempt to spread fake news and create unnecessary tensions.

“Wike remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability in the discharge of his duties and remains committed to building the FCT of our collective dreams,” Ogunleye said. (NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has lauded the interventions of the UN Population Fund in Nigeria (UNFPA Nigeria) and other organisations for their support to vulnerable persons in Borno.

Edu made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Thursday.

The minister spoke to NAN after an interaction with some displaced women and survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) at the UNFPA One Stop Centre at Muna camp, Maiduguri.

She also inspected items being made by the survivors and other vulnerable women after they were provided with entrepreneurship training and other reproductive health support at the centre.

According to Edu, UNFPA and other UN agencies are doing a lot in complementing government’s effort.

“UNFPA and other agencies are doing a great work to support government and we will be working to increase these response at all levels.”

She said that she was in Borno as part of her first engagement outside Abuja to assess what was going on and how Federal Government could support the state, particularly in humanitarian response and poverty alleviation.

She said that eight million people were affected by insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

” We want to provide a more resilient system so we don’t have people that are permanently displaced or depend on handout for life.

” We want to to move them through livelihood, durable solution from being Internally Displaced Persons to believing in self reliance.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, said on Friday that President Bola Tinubu has approved the construction of 1,000 houses in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue States.

Mr Olusola Abiola, Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, in a statement, said Shettima stated this at the commissioning of projects executed by Borno State Government in the last 100 days.

The Vice President explained that the housing projects were part of a broad plan by the Federal Government to address conflicts in the north.

Shettima also revealed that Tinubu approved N50 billion to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to kick-start the Pulaku initiative which was a non-kinetic solution to the crisis confronting the people of the northwest.

“President Tinubu has approved the construction of 1,000 houses in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue States with all the ancillary facilities of schools, clinics, veterinary clinics and ranches for the Fulani community in Kaduna and Benue states

“President Tinubu insisted that all the victims must be carried along,” he said.

The Vice President assured that all parts of the country would benefit from the developmental strides of President Tinubu.

Shettima also stated that the Federal Government was planning to re-ignite wheat production in the country.

He noted that President Tinubu was aware of challenges confronting Nigerians and would make efforts to address them.

“The issues confronting Nigerians will be addressed. We will use all available vehicles to fix things. President Tinubu means well for this country and he is determined to change the fortunes of the nation for the better.

“Tinubu is a person filled with a lot of empathy for the less privileged in the society. Some of the painful decisions taken by the government were products of the circumstances we have found ourselves in.

“Be rest assured that in the coming weeks and months, this government will unveil a lot of projects and programmes that will touch the lives of many,” Shettima said.

He commended the vision and leadership of Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, particularly in his capacity to address the welfare of the people.

“We are extremely lucky in having him as our leader, Governor and brother at this time. Gov. Zulum and I have the best of relationships.

“We have become the reference point in relationship management between a successor and predecessor in modern day Nigeria.

“I want to thank him for all the empathy and support and most importantly for putting Borno first,” he stressed.

Out of 77 new projects completed in 100 days of Zulum’s administration, the VP commissioned the Shuwari ll Community School and Healthcare Centre.

Shettima also commissioned the Alikaramti Community School and the Gamboru Liberty Day Seconday School, all within Maiduguri metropolis.

He was cheered by a jubilant crowd, particularly school children during the commissioning of projects executed by the State government within 100 days

Earlier on arrival in Maiduguri, Shettima visited the Shehu of Borno’s Palace to pay homage.

He was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, and some legislators from National and State Assemblies.

Also in the Vice President’s entourage at the palace were the Deputy Governors of Borno, Gombe and Taraba States. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vincent Obi

By Philip Yatai

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised the Chairmen of the six Area Councils in FCT to constitute a Surveillance Committee in their respective councils to curb insecurity.

Wike gave the advice while responding to the challenges outlined by the councils’ chairmen during a familiarisation meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, the surveillance committee will help in checking insecurity and activities of illegal mining in communities, which creates an avenue for insecurity.

Earlier, the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Mr Danladi Chiya, outlined inadequate funds, sanitation, public transportation, land allocation and insecurity, particularly kidnappings as the major challenges affecting the area councils.

Chiya disclosed that 19 persons were kidnaped in Bwari Area Council today (Thursday) and urged the minister to come to their aid.

On land allocation, the chairman said that peoples’ backyard, graveyard, including churches were being allocated to individuals.

The Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Mr John Gabaya, urged Wike to carry the council chairmen along in land allocation and development to enable them to monitor the allocated land development process.

His counterpart, Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Mr Abdullahi Sabo, also lamented the menace of illegal miners in the area councils, stressing that they were constituting a security threat.

Sabo said that a landslide in one of the mining sites took the lives of about 30 persons, adding that when invested, it was discovered that the miners do not have a mining licence.

Responding to the issues, Wike said he would call for an emergency security meeting with the Director, Department State Services and Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, to look at the issue.

He called for the cooperation and support of the council chairmen, saying that “we cannot achieve anything without the support of the area council chairmen, it is not possible.

“We must collaborate and work together for the interest of our people,” he said.

On shortage of funds, the minister advised the chairmen of prudent use of available resources while assuring them that they would get whatever was due to them under his watch.

He also called for a working synergy with the area councils to improve sanitation in the city.

On land allocation, the minister explained that land allocation by law, was under the purview of the FCT Administration.

He, however, agreed with the council chairmen to carry them along so that they would put an eye on the development process.

“Involve the area council when given out land for development so that they will check mate what is going on.

“We are not everywhere, how many times do we go out? By the time you know people have developed, then you will go and demolish, and it will cause problems.

“But if we carry them along then they become our eyes in those areas. That is how it is supposed to be. I can assure you I will change all these things,” he said.

On illegal mining, Wike assured the chairmen that he would discuss, with the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake to eliminate illegal mining in the FCT.

Earlier, Minister of Stare, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, and the Permanent Secretary in the FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola expressed the willingness of the Administration to continue to partner with the councils’ chairmen for inclusive development of the capital territory. (NAN)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

By Philip Yatai

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has rejected the repeated variations of the Ushafa – Bwari Road project contract amount.

Wike declared his rejection while briefing journalists after a visit to the project sites along with the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud and other government officials in Abuja on Thursday.

He described the consistent variation of the contract cost of the project as “very embarrassing”, saying “this is not what we are going to take.

“The job was awarded in 2017 at N20 billion. In 2020, the contract was revised to N50 billion. As I speak to you, they have paid about N50 billion and what is outstanding is about N900 million.

“Now they are telling us that the N900 million is not enough to complete a job they said had reached 90 per cent completion.

“Therefore, asking for another variation, we are not going to accept. Even the engineering services, we are going to overhaul the system,” he said.

The minister complained of so many variations in contract amount being handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), which he described as “worrisome”.

“I have never seen a thing like this in my life. What we see in FCDA contract variations from N10 billion to N119 billion and from N50 billion to N200 billion is alarming, and I am not going to accept this,” he said.

Wike, who equally visited the rehabilitation of Lower Usuma Dam Water Works, Gurara Road in Bwari, also expressed displeasure on the delivery of the water project.

The minister said he was told that the project was awarded as an emergency contract, but realised on getting to the project site that it has not been awarded fully.

He said that he just found out that what was given to the contractor was just a letter of intent in Aug. 2022.

“I knew the importance of this project in supplying water to our people within the city and its environs. Water is very important and so I have directed that the project is no longer an emergency,” he said.

Wike said that the project would be re-awarded, adding that his office would supervise the procurement process and invite other companies to bid for the project.

On abandoned projects, the minister said that more than 10 contracts have been selected and approved for completion, adding that agreements have been concluded with the contractors.

He said that the Executive Secretary, FCDA, Mr Shehu Hadi, had been directed to make sure that all the files approved since last week goes to the Director of Treasury.

He added that he has directed all payments to contractors be made latest by Friday.

He explained that based on the tagging of each project to Internally Generated Revenue, each contractor would be paid a certain amount of money every month based on the agreed project completion period.

“We agreed with some companies to deliver the projects in six months, and some 15 months.

“In fact, like the millennium tower, they (contractors) have agreed to finish it in two years’ time, and we are paying them N3 billion every month.

“On Monday we are flagging off the resurfacing of most of the roads in Garki, Maitama and Wuse because the roads are terribly bad,” the minister said. (NAN)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

By Grace Alegba

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has appealed to Lagos State Government to hand over the popular Olusosun dumpsite to the association for better management, to tackle air pollution.

APWEN Lagos Chapter Chairman, Mrs Atinuke Owolabi, made the appeal on Thursday during the association’s monthly zoom meeting and technical presentation.

The programme was also organised to commemorate the International Day of Clean Air for Blue skies, with the theme, “Clean Air for Blue Skies: The Role of Female Engineers in Environmental Transformation”.

Owolabi gave a detailed history of the Olusosun dumpsite, which is the oldest and largest in Nigeria, had become a health risk to residents due to strong odour polluting the air.

She commended the Lagos State government’s effort in managing the wastes over the years, but appealed for total closure of the site.

The chairperson appealed that the site be handed over to APWEN to bring in innovations and turn it to an engineering-based solution hub, thereby mitigating environmental and health hazards.

She said pursuit of a healthier environment demanded collective efforts and advocacy, hence, APWEN’s commitment to offer solutions to make community better.

“The dumpsite has been associated with various environmental issues, including air and water pollution, as well as concerns about soil contamination.

“The burning of waste at the site has led to air quality problems in the surrounding areas.

“Proximity to the dumpsite has raised health concerns for nearby residents due to the release of hazardous chemicals and gases from the decomposing waste.

“We, as professional female Engineers in the state, stand ready to proffer innovative solutions that will uplift the lives of those residing nearby while addressing other socio-economic matters within the state and our nation at large.

“We commend the efforts of Lagos State Government over the years towards closure and relocation of this significant and notorious dumpsite.

“We hereby use this medium to appeal to our Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to consider permanent closure of the site to waste disposal and convert the site into an engineering-based solution hub, thereby mitigating environmental and health hazards,” she said.

Owolabi urged Nigerians, in commemorating the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, to be intentional in adopting practical steps that promote human and environmental health.

“Together, as female Engineers, we can contribute significantly to the preservation of our planet for generations to come.

“Today, 7th September, 2023, as we mark this global observance, we must reflect on the importance of clean air and the profound impact it has on our lives, our communities, and our planet,” she said.

Owolabi said air quality directly affects people’s health, the environment, and the well-being of future generations, adding that female engineers were doing thier bit as solution providers in society through innovations.

Mrs Helen Taiwo, Executive Director, Operations, Lagos Water Corporation, while taking a technical session, enumerated the functions and capabilities of female engineers and how they could leverage technology to preserve the environment.

Speaking on the theme, she reeled out measures against air pollution for healthy living and livelihoods.

Taiwo said air pollution was a major global problem that caused health challenges and could contribute to climate change issues.

She said environmental engineers play a vital role in reducing air pollution, adding that they design and implement solutions to control emissions and develop new technologies to clean up polluted air.

She listed some major contributions of women engineers in tackling pollution to include innovations and technology development in various sectors; sustainable energy as well as Research and Development. (NAN)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

By Philip Yatai

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says owners of landed properties owing the FCT Administration (FCTA) ground rents, amounting to N34 billion would be penalised.

Wike stated this when members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating Failure of Mass Transportation in Nigeria, visited him in Abuja on Tuesday.

He warned allottees owing the FCT Administration ground rents to either pay or have their property revoked and reallocated to those who could pay.

“I have calculated the debt of nonpayment of ground rent, which is about N34 billion, and I am going to collect all of those back. I don’t care, all I want is for the rent to be paid,” he said.

The minister said that the list of the people owing FCTA ground rent would be published on Thursday, adding that they would be given two weeks to pay.

According to him, whoever does not pay, his land will be revoked and be given to whoever will pay so that the necessary services will be rendered.

“People want to live in a beautiful city but don’t want to pay their dues which is impossible.”

He said that the decision became necessary following a decision to tie projects to Internally Generated Revenue to enable contractors complete abandoned projects.

Wike complained about the poor budgetary allocation to the FCT and appealed to the lawmakers to assist in improving its budgetary provisions.

The minister also said that he would overhaul the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO), expressing displeasure that AUMTCO buses were loaned out without maintenance.

Earlier, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Mr Afam Ogene said that his committee visited the minister to find solutions to epileptic mass transportation in the country and the FCT.

Ogene described the development as “worrisome”, saying that over N16 billion had been invested in mass transportation during the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SUR-P) with little services being rendered.

He expressed relief with the ongoing transformation of the Abuja Light Rail transport system, and traffic lights across the city.

“We are here to encourage you to look into transportation and reorganize it. We will support you to do it and it will also solve problems of one chance in the city,” he pledged. (NAN)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi