Minister tasks lawmakers on development of FCT area councils
The Minister of State for the FCT Minister, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has called on relevant committees of the National Assembly which carry out oversight functions on the FCT Administration (FCTA) to come up with legislations or push for pending bills that will bring speedy development to the area councils in the territory. The minister […]
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu
The Minister of State for the FCT Minister, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has called on relevant committees of the National Assembly which carry out oversight functions on the FCT Administration (FCTA) to come up with legislations or push for pending bills that will bring speedy development to the area councils in the territory.
The minister who made this call to the House of Representatives Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, maintained that some of the laws governing the territory were obsolete and not in conformity with 21st Century developmental goals.
According to the minister’s media aide, Mr. Austine Elemue, she decried the slow pace of development in the territory for almost four decades, stressing that no capital city like Abuja could be developed with reliance on budgetary allocations.
The minister addressed the lawmakers thus, “Honourable committee members, it may interest you to note that out of 8,000 square kilometres of the territory, only 250 square kilometres have been fully developed for almost four decades of developing the city.
“The remaining 7,750 square kilometres are yet to be developed. This goes to show that we must think out of the box to fast-track development in satellite towns and the area councils. We can no longer rely on budgetary allocations to develop this capital city.”
Speaking on the recent industrial action by primary school teachers and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the FCT as a result of non-payment/implementation of the approved national minimum wage, the minister who informed the lawmakers that although the strike had been called off by both parties, stressed that the administration was working on the interim report with some important findings and recommendations that could bring a lasting solution to the problem.
She said, “Let me state that immediately after the two unions threatened strike, we engaged all stakeholders with a view to finding a solution to the problem. This led to the constitution of a multi-stakeholder ministerial committee on the implementation of the new national minimum wage in area councils and local education authorities of the six area councils.
“As at now, the cheering news is that the striking teachers and local government workers have agreed to call off the strike and allow for processes that will provide a permanent solution to the problem.”
The Chairman of the House Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, Hon. Ahmed Yusuf Tijjani, assured the minister that the committee would continue to assist the administration in the area of needs, especially on issues that would lead to speedy development of the area councils.