FCT: Bello’s first 100 days in retrospect
A hundred days have elapsed since the eloquent and essentially passionate administrator, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello assumed duty as the minister in charge of Nigeria federal capital territory, Abuja. Mohammed Bello must match his reputation with not so much the presence of wit and directness, but with candor, alertness of intellect and a detached concentrations […]
A hundred days have elapsed since the eloquent and essentially passionate administrator, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello assumed duty as the minister in charge of Nigeria federal capital territory, Abuja.
Mohammed Bello must match his reputation with not so much the presence of wit and directness, but with candor, alertness of intellect and a detached concentrations on the task in his hands. First hundred days: so much fuss, so much attention. But why is the first hundred days in an office so important to the people and perhaps, the leader too? In a sense, a first hundred days in an office, especially, a political office is a period adopted for the initial assessment of the leadership impacts or direction of a particular leader. It is a subjective criterion adopted to gauge the future achievements of leader based on the trends observable from the last hundred days. More often than not, the first hundred days assessment does not reflect the true future of a dispensation much less a necessary and sufficient framework for performance verdict. Nonetheless, a judgment on the first hundred days is neither here nor there as it varies from institutions to institutions, systems to systems and prevailing socio-political circumstances of a people. Achievements in the first hundred days are noted differently. A singular statement or act defines an administration entire posturing just as initiatives and strategies can.
Mohammed Bello is without doubt, an established, stable, financial expert and mature administrator. And with the global economy and our national prosperity as uncertain as it is, it is about time too that a financial expert managed the FCT. Aside other problems that have slowed down the FCT development, misplacement of priorities arising from the rush to satisfy all shades of opinion in one swift has been a major drawback. Therefore, Mohammed Bello resolves to build on the achievements of his immediate predecessor, Senator Bala Mohammed. The Minister’s careful assessment of projects and programs in the FCT and reorganization for greater impacts is thus a good launching pad for the needed change agenda in the FCT. The FCT, indeed, is in straitened circumstances as evidenced in the wide infrastructure deficiency, unemployment, environment abuse and degradation, poor transportation, population upsurge, insecurity among others. The Minister must bring his expertise into bear to secure additional revenue streams for the city by ensuring that the city economy is supported by business sectors such as financial services, biomedical and IT.
The Minister has shown a combative determination to pursue the development of the satellite towns and improve upon the road networks and transportation system while ensuring a strong financial position. Unarguably, retaining the land swap policy of the past regime with some modifications to enhance effectiveness and transparency in the process is a very good development in the FCT, noting that policy reversal has been the bane of our development as a nation. As this Minister marks his first 100 days in office, one thing to reflect on is that success is not all about where we are but in which direction we are going. We therefore must avail him all the support and encouragement he needs in the march to the Promised Land. As this minister marks his first hundred days in office, may he meet with success upon his ways.
Musa Wada, a public affairs analyst, writes in from Abuja. He can be reached at [email protected]