Why we achieved much in 1 yr – Gwagwalada chair

Last Wednesday you marked one year in office. What are your achievements in the year under review? In fact, within the one year under review, we were able to transform a lot of dilapidated infrastructure I came and met on ground. These include roads, water, electricity, schools, health centres and so many other areas of […]

Last Wednesday you marked one year in office. What are your achievements in the year under review?

In fact, within the one year under review, we were able to transform a lot of dilapidated infrastructure I came and met on ground. These include roads, water, electricity, schools, health centres and so many other areas of development. But we have rehabilitated One Way Market Road with asphalt overlay within Gwagwalada Metropolis. We have constructed a double cell-box culvert on Paiko-Ibwa Road. Before I assumed office, the two communities were completely cut off. The work as at today is 90 per cent complete and this has eased the movement of people and goods to and from the communities.

Also, we have constructed another double cell-box culvert at the back of Anguwar Abattoir. Before now, the people of the area were completely cut off for more than a year. 

Another area my administration consider vital again is the provision of electricity and we have extended electricity to Yimi and Machada communities in order to boost socio-economic activities in the area. 

The Wuna rural road has been given a face lift by my administration as the grading of the road has been completed. In an attempt to fulfill our electioneering campaign, the Dukwa rural electrification was given priority, as we went into partnership with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to complete the project.

 Provision of potable drinking water is another sector my administration seeks to shift its developmental drive, as the Sabon-Gari water reticulation has been completed while other communities like Dobi, Gurfata, Anguwar Geshi and Anguwar Gede have benefited from this project.

Considering the fact that health is wealth, my administration has keyed into health-related programmes by providing logistics to ensure that residents are kept healthy, especially women and children, who are the most vulnerable. We ensured that there was full participation in the quarterly polio eradication exercise across the council.

 Besides, other road projects that have reached advanced stage within the last one year of my administration include the Ledi electrification project, Kabul Old Cemetery Road, which has a double cell culvert; Abalaka-ECWA Church Road and Kaida-Sabo Primary School Road ,as well as the Zuba Fruits Market Road.

We have achieved all these within a year despite financial challenges because we have been prudent with our resources. For that, I appreciate the support and cooperation of members of the legislative arm, cabinet members, as well as the entire staff of the council.

As the only opposition chairman in the FCT, what have you done differently from the ruling APC and; are you also getting cooperation from the FCT administration?

Well, I think as you rightly mentioned, as an opposition, I have to be very careful in whatever I am doing, especially in terms of expenditure of the council. The little resources available to us are judiciously used in the sense that we are accountable to the people. We are very conscious whenever we are spending public funds. Any kobo we remove from the public treasury, we make sure we discipline ourselves and what that money is meant for is used for it.

Transparency and accountability have been our watchwords. And coming to cooperation from the FCT administration, I can tell you with certainty that I am receiving much cooperation from the FCT administration under the leadership of Malam Muhammad Musa Bello. 

In fact, I can say the minister has never treated me differently because of my political difference. And my colleagues in the APC are also giving me their maximum cooperation, as if we are operating on the same platform.

We understand you have paid staff up to date while your colleagues from APC-controlled area councils are lamenting that they can’t pay staff salaries and execute projects due to ‘poor’ monthly allocation. What is your secret?

Well, since we are occupying public office, and I tell my cabinet members too, that whatever funds are released from the federation account to our purse is not for our private use. 

 It is for the use of the general public, ranging from salary payment, which is statutory, to the provision of infrastructure. Though we came and met a huge liability on ground, a lot of these liabilities have been cleared. We also came and met dilapidated infrastructure but we have tried to put some of them in good shape for the use of the public. And we have disciplined ourselves to ensure achievement in those areas.

We understand that your council has before your assumption of office faced the problem of sanitation. Refuse was dumped indiscriminately on some major streets within the metropolis. What have you done to address this?

You see, when I assumed office a year ago, distinguished personalities and stakeholders within the council called and told me about the sanitary condition and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in some major streets within Gwagwalada. 

They complained about epidemics due to heaps of dumped refuse in some public places. They, therefore, advised us to give priority to sanitation by ensuring that refuse was cleared. I took time and went round the metropolis and monitored the evacuation of refuse and the situation has improved since then.

 However, with the influx of people coming into Gwagwalada on a daily basis, if we evacuate refuse today, tomorrow it will appear, as if we have done nothing.  But we are not resting on our oars to ensure the council is kept clean at all times.