Mahmoud warns Board against outbreak of Cholera in Abuja

• As Area Councils, stakeholders share N3.6bn May allocation

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has called on the FCT Primary Health Care Board to put in place precautionary measures to guard against the outbreak of cholera epidemic in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

Mahmoud made this call while taking briefs from the Director of the FCT Primary Health Care Board at the 190th FCT Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) held in her office, a statement from her S.A Media, Austine Elemue disclosed.

According to the statement, Mahmoud, who expressed satisfaction over non reported case of the epidemic in the nation’s capital, however, warned that as the seat of government all necessary measures should be put in place to avoid any outbreak of the disease.

“I am indeed delighted that no case of the cholera epidemic has been reported in any of our primary healthcare centres across the six area councils in the FCT.

“However, that does not give us room to relax because this is the seat of government. The FCT Primary Health Care Board should put in place measures to guard against any outbreak of the disease.

“By now, I was expecting the board to commence radio jingles in different major languages and sensitization programmes in our schools, markets, mosques and churches.

“ We should not give room for the outbreak before we start fire brigade approach. That will not be acceptable,” she warned.

However, the FCT Administration has disbursed the sum of N3,624,968091.61 billion to the six area councils and other stakeholders as statutory allocation for the month of May, 2024.

Mahmoud, who presided over the 190th FCT Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting noted that a breakdown of the figures released during the JAAC meeting indicates that the sum of N1,138,534,925.64billion was made available for distribution to the six area councils, while the sum of N2,486,433,165.97billion was made available to other stakeholders, bringing the total sum to N3,624,968,091.61billion.

Similarly, distributions to the six area councils shows that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), received N346,534,958.69million, while Gwagwalada got N160,805,125.65million and Kuje received N191,381,478.23million.

Other area councils include, Bwari Area Council which received N152,802,656.03million, Abaji got N119,495,116.96million while Kwali received N167,515,590.08million, bringing the total sum to N1,138,534,925.64billion disbursed to the six area councils.

Also, distribution to other critical stakeholders include: Primary School Teachers which gulped N2,115,855,089.92billion, 15 percent Pension Funds took N226,478,989.57million, One percent Training Fund gulped N36,249,680.85million, while 10 percent Employer Pension Contribution gulped N107,849,405.63million, bringing the total sum to N2,486,433,165.97billion.

Those present at the 190th Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting include the Mandate Secretary Area Council Services Secretariat, Hon. Bitrus Garki, Permanent Secretary, Area Council Services Secretariat, Dr. Olusa Olusegun, and Commissioner representing FCT in the Revenue Mobilization Fiscal Allocation Commission, Hon. Ismail Agaka.

Others include the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Christopher Maikalagun, Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon. Abdullahi Sabo, and representatives of the chairmen of Gwagwalada, Abaji and Kwali Area Council amongst others.