By Musa Wada
Point to point, on every measure of growth, Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja is leaping in bounds on the road to being one of the top 20 capital cities of the world barring any hiccups.
Successive administrations in the FCT have prioritized the obligation of nurturing Abuja into a modern, competitive capital city, and to that extent have drawn several initiatives, programmes and projects in aid of the actualization of that dream. It is recognized that achieving this dream involves continuous show of commitment and seriousness of concerted efforts on the gradual processes that will ultimately bring Abuja to the threshold of the desirable level of developments, distinctive programme and innovative strategies aimed at leaving a sustaining legacies of development have been introduced by each and every one of the FCT administrations.
A careful chronicling of the developmental events in the FCT will naturally dedicate volumes to the current administration for its developmental efforts. Senator Bala Mohammad has, despite challenges, insisted that the dream of the makers of the city must not go in vain. He has been able to move Abuja ahead on a sustainable course of growth.
Senator Bala’s most striking distinction as the FCT minister is his exemplary character of determination and uncanny ability to locate and focus on the city core responsibilities and doing those things well even in the face of unfavourable fiscal realities, brutal cynicism, safety and security threat as never before witnessed. The honourable minister has dedicated himself to sustaining and advancing all the successes the city has achieved while striving to meet the expectations of a continually increasing FCT population. His administration has made progress on transportation projects, including several major improvements underway for our roads and other infrastructure that will provide the basic foundation for our capital city. In keeping to his promise of maintaining a healthy and clean environment, the FCT administration has reduced paper waste, purchased several functional waste dispersal trucks, engaged facilities managers to manage facilities and clean up roads around the city, while a comprehensive effort to expand recycling and overall waste reduction is underway.
Exceptionally focused on pursuing people-oriented programmes, the minister sees communicating with citizens as a priority and has continued to keep the FCT residents well-informed and engaged in city related issues through a responsive FCT call centre responsibly managed by Mrs Jumai Ahmadu, an indefatigable public relation veteran
The Honourable minister has repeatedly emphasized the significance of safety as the cornerstone of a civil society and critical to the health and vitality of the city. The minister has never failed to emphasized the need for the people to feel safe when they are in their homes and when they are out in the community. The current wave of terrorism has greatly stretched this necessity and the minister is working in collaraboration with the federal government to beef up security and safety in the FCT through pragmatic and necessary measures.
The minister’s attention has not missed the recreational aspect of the city life as he has carefully planned out several recreational options for the people comfort. Senator Bala Mohammad administration in the FCT has recorded many milestones and of recent, the completion of the lower usuma dam treatment plant expansion project stand tall. It underscores the onwavering commitment of the minister towards improving the living standards of love in the FCT through direct impact projects. This project is regarded as the largest single water treatment plant in Africa with a total capacity to treat 20 million litres of water per hour and adequately responds to the water demand of the growing population of the FCT, augmenting the existing water infrastructure. It is instructive to point out that this project that the honourable minister has nurtured to fruition today compliant with WHO standard was begun in 2005 yet the minister in his characteristic judiciousness followed it through.
In the days to come, with this development, it is to be expected that the challenges of water supply will be a thing of history in the FCT as the water distribution networks will cover phases 2 and 3 of the city including areas like Gwarinpa Kafe, Wuye, etc
Musa Wada wrote in from Abuja
