Adhere to extant laws – Bello tasks FCDA Board members

By Stanley Onyekwere

FCT Minister, Mallam Musa Muhammad Bello, has implored members of the newly inaugurated Board of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to ensure strict adherence to established extant laws, in the discharge of their duties.
Bello, who is the Chairman of the Board, gave the charge last week during the inaugural meeting of the 7th Board of the FCDA.
He said: “As Public Officers, either on part-time or full-time capacity, you should be guided by the ‘Guidelines on the Operation of Public Officers.
“The rule of law is one of the cardinal objectives of this Administration and anything contrary to that should completely be avoided.”
The Minister reminded members that their appointments were based on their excellent track records, urging them to bring their wealth of experience to bear on the development of the FCT by providing sound policy direction for the attainment of a City development that is comparable to any Capital City in the world.
He called on members to do their utmost best make an indelible mark that will transcend their tenure.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin who is also the Secretary of the Board, drew the attention of members to the perennial problems that had militated against the timely delivery on the mandate of the FCDA.
He added that paramount among the challenges are the issues of inadequate funding; uncontrollable influx of people into the Territory thereby over-stretching the infrastructure and problem of resettlement of the original inhabitants of Abuja.
On his part, a member of the Board, Hussaini Monguno while responding on behalf of other members , commended the Minister, for his openness and insistence on rule of law.
According to him, “While appreciating the enormity of the responsibilities ahead, we pledge our allegiance and promise that we shall settle down quickly for business and ensure that the challenges highlighted are surmounted with a view to moving FCDA and indeed the FCT to a higher level.”
He said of particular interest to members is the need to be less dependent on Federal Government Budgetary Allocation by putting measures in place to increase the internally Generated Revenue (IGR), to encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the development of District Infrastructure as well as the need to be able to generate cost effective, reliable and achievable project procurement documents with acceptable time line for completion.