Minister seeks funding for projects in Satellite Towns

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has called for adequate funding for projects in the satellite towns especially the 5,000 Wassa Affordable Housing project in the Territory.

In particular, the Minister expressed the commitment of the Administration to provide houses that are truly affordable to the targeted audience. 

Aliyu expressed this commitment during the Senate Committee oversight visit to projects in satellite towns in company of management staff of the Administration.

At the inspection of Wassa affordable housing site, Aliyu sought greater collaboration of the National Assembly for funding of the project to ensure that houses were truly affordable.

She disclosed that, though there are security challenge on the site, she commended the firm for building a police post to tackle security challenges in the area.

According to her: “The Apo-Karshi road, when completed, will ease access to township, ease commuting by indigenes and residents from Karshi and other satellite towns. 

“So constructing that road and completing it will give us value for money, even for the affordable housing and other developments.

“We have identified where the problems are, which is particularly about funding which is due to economic downturn and the inflation rate, so we are reviewing our project rates vis-a-vis the current cost in the market to expedit action on the projects.

“We will look at the document again from the period the contract was of awarded to date. When our administration came in 2015, we have been able to pay all that is required of us, yet the company is unable to complete the job.

“It is not easy to say we will terminate a contract in overriding public interest, because some times litigation can deprive residents and take longer period to conclude”.