Lawmakers bemoan destruction of public utilities in FCT

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has bemoaned the increasing destruction of public facilities in the nation’s capital city by suspected vandals.

In particular, the committee expressed serious concerns over the nefarious activities of vandals, resulting in the damage of some newly installed solar powered street lights in parts of the city to illuminate the streets at night and enhance security.

Making this point during inspection of some priority projects, as part of the Committee’s oversight function over the weekend in Abuja, its Chairman, Senator Smart Adeyemi, noted that efforts must be put in place to secure and maintain all facilities in the city.

While appealing to Nigerians to protect public facilities put in place for their benefit, Adeyemi urged the FCTA to include security and maintenance components into budget proposals for proposed projects. 

He however, explained that the oversight project tour was necessary to enable members of the Senate Committee become acquainted with projects the FCT Administration has proposed for implementation in its budget proposals.  

Also, the committee commended the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello for his commitment to the execution of priority projects in the Territory. 

Some of the projects visited included the rehabilitation works at the National Assembly Complex, the Operations Control Center of the Abuja Mass Rail Transit System, the Gosa dump site and landfill, the Wupa sewage treatment plant, Solar lighting systems as well as the facilities and equipment of the Department of Development Control.

At the Wupa Sewage Treatment Plant, the leadership of the Committee also commended the FCT Minister for his efforts at efficiently running the  plant especially with his directives that indigenous technical personnel should be in charge of the critical facility which is the largest in the FCT and treats liquid wastes generated across the city.

The Senate Committee also inspected ongoing rehabilitation of both the Senate and House of Representatives Chambers, where it tasked the contractor to expedite action on the completion of the project before transition to next government in 2023.

Adeyemi noted that the National Assembly was critical to democracy, hence the imperative for the rehabilitation of both Chambers to be completed on schedule

On his part, the Executive secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmed, disclosed that the FCT Security Committee had mandated the FCT Command of the NSCDC to ensure the security of on the security of critical infrastructure across the Territory.

Ahmed also revealed that the FCT  Administration was working on drawing up a “Waste to Wealth and a Waste to Energy” policy using the waste at the Gosa Dumpsite and landfill.

Similarly, Director, FCTA Department of Facility Maintenance, Engr. Omoniyi Olaloye explained that the solar street lighting initiative became imperative due to inadequate power supply from the national grid. 

Olaloye revealed that over 4000 units of solar powered street lights have been installed so far across the city, promising that more installations would be made. 

Also present during the oversight project tour were some members of the FCT Senate Committee, Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu; the Secretary for Transportation, Hon Abdullahi Candido, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council TPL Umar Shuaibu, Director, Department of Development Control, TPL Mukhtar Galadima, Director Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Osilama Braimah and other senior officials of the FCTA.