By Stanley Onyekwere
Chairmen of the six Area Councils of the Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been charged to focus on upgrade of their communities, in the developmental agenda of their respective domains.
In particular, they were admonished to focus a lot of their attention on human capital development through three main components of primary education, environmental sanitation and public health, as these remain the bedrock of development in any community.
This charge was given by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, when the six Council Chairmen paid him a working visit in his office.
Bello reminded them that governance at the Local Government level being closest to the people is very critical for the overall development of the Territory.
He said: “Making major changes in the communities do not necessarily require massive funding. What is required, the minister said was a massive re-orientation and mobilization of the people.
“All of us will finish our tenures and we will still live within the communities. This is the time to upgrade your communities and focus on human capital development.
“If your communities are clean, it will encourage people to develop properties there because there will be no difference between your community and the city center.
“And as it develops the standard of living will increase, and encourage revenue generation. But the initial efforts has to come from you.
“You all have markets and market unions, yet there is refuse everywhere. These are areas where you can show leadership by ensuring they are clean.”
According to him, the chairmen should deploy the same amount of energy and methods utilized during political campaigns to mobilize the people into the development of their communities.
Furthermore, the Minister called on them to return to the fundamentals of governance and not expend scarce resources on the construction of massive structures while also urging them to follow all extant financial regulations, including all procurement laws.
On security, the Minister said the Administration was stepping up security across the FCT as additional police formations are being opened across the Territory.
He however urged the Council Chairmen to support the efforts of the security men posted to their areas.
He equally noted that on community policing, the Council Chairmen should avoid sentiments in the selection process into the community constabularies, urged them to only engage those who are suitably qualified.
Speaking earlier, the Chairmen of FCT ALGON and chairmen of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Adamu Mustapha Danze, said the Council Chairmen were at the FCTA on a working visit to the FCT Minister and pledge their support to the Administration for all its developmental efforts and accomplishments in the Territory.
Our correspondent reports that other Area Council Chairmen present were Hon. Adamu Candido (AMAC) Abdulrahman Ajiya (Abaji), John Gabaya Shekwogwaza (Bwari) Danladi Chiya (Kwali) and Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo (Kuje)
