Suleja: The neglected milk cow (II)

When the federal government established the FCT and the FCDA in 1976, none of the settlements within the FCT had essential facilities, such as schools, hospital, potable water, telephone services, post office, electricity and others. Therefore, the FCDA Field Base was established in Suleja. Also, the local government functionaries were made available for the services […]

When the federal government established the FCT and the FCDA in 1976, none of the settlements within the FCT had essential facilities, such as schools, hospital, potable water, telephone services, post office, electricity and others. Therefore, the FCDA Field Base was established in Suleja. Also, the local government functionaries were made available for the services of the embryonic FCDA.

Malam Abdullahi Ladan was saddled with the dual role of being the Abuja Local Government Secretary as was then known, at the same time, the first accounting officer of the FCDA in 1976, before the FCDA administrative machinery could be established. He is presently the Wazirin Zazzau, Suleja, a nonagenarian bedridden at the age of 96. Unfortunately, his services have been forgotten.

The first and second FCDA executive secretaries, and the first FCT Minister’s offices and residences were in Suleja. In June 1977, the FCDA commissioned International Planning Associates (IPA) to produce the Abuja Master Plan. IPA accomplished the task and submitted the final copy to the FCDA Executive Secretary, the late Abubakar Koko, on February 15, 1979. It was the same period that the federal government requested for the name of the town ‘Abuja’ to be surrendered for the New Federal Capital City in which the emirate obliged, without request for any compensation.

It became necessary for the IPA to write a footnote on the preface page of the Abuja Master Plan, that ‘IPA has been notified, after the publication of this report, that the name of the existing town of Abuja in Niger State will be changed to Suleja in order to avoid confusion with the name of the new Federal Capital City. Reference to Abuja in this report denote the existing city’.

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Meanwhile, it was the local community that surrendered their farmlands for overriding public interest, for the development of the field base. There was a mutual agreement that it would be handed over to the community at the end of the tenure. Malam Ladan insisted and ensured that the agreement was formalised and signed by the FCDA Executive Secretary, late Abubakar Koko, for posterity.

Yet the estate was not handed over at the exit in 1984, until 1987, after concerted effort. Subsequently, it was released to the Nigerian Legion upon a request. Unfortunately, the federal government still listed it among its properties to be sold during the Obasanjo administration. It would have been finally snatched, because the document signed by the late Koko got lost, but was later discovered at the Niger State Archive. Thanks to the foresight of Malam Ladan.

After the second taking over on October 30, 2007, the community surrendered the field base to the state government for allocation to the Niger State-owned IBB University to establish a campus in Suleja, for the benefit of its people. For more than 17 years, the Niger State Government refused to allocate funds for the take-off of the campus.

Sadly, since the creation of Niger State in 1975, neither the state, nor the federal government, has established a single tertiary institution in Suleja Emirate, despite barrages of agitation, the most recent by the Suleja Member at the floor of the State Assembly. While others are boasting of multiples. Even the proposal to have a school of nursing at the former location of the FCT School of Nursing at the Field Base remains a mere publicity stunt. That was not even minding the fact that a Federal Health Centre meant for Suleja was diverted to another town in the state.

The most economically viable region in Niger State is Suleja Emirate, due to its proximity to the nation’s capital. Niger State Government is really capitalising on this opportunity for huge revenue collections, such as PAYE, land and landed property charges and other taxes.

Suleja Emirate alone, provides at least 40 per cent of the internally generated revenue to the state government. The amount of revenue collected in the local government surpasses any other in the state. The present governor made such disclosure recently.

Contrarily, in comparison with those in other parts of the state, the quality of the ongoing township road in Suleja is grossly substandard. From Maje to Madalla, it would certainly be claimed to be a multi-billion naira contract. Yet, the contractor is obscure, because there is no single sign board to identify the contractor or any supervising agency. Thus, the transparency component of good governance has glaringly and brazenly been jettisoned.

Suleja people and sympathisers were not left with any choice than to believe that a clandestine arrangement was made to compromise the quality of the project for a rip-off. This is a further testimony that anything could be ditched to the goose that is laying the golden egg. It is extremely unfair for the town to be a milk cow, yet remain neglected in the provision of infrastructure and services for the benefit of its people.

 

To be continued.