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Tag: FCT

  • 2023 Elections: INEC to collaborate Disability Commission for inclusivity of PWDs

    2023 Elections: INEC to collaborate Disability Commission for inclusivity of PWDs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)is set to collaborate with National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) to ensure absolute inclusivity for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the 2023 general election.

    Mr Yahaya Bello, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, said this at a joint news conference in Abuja.

    The conference was organised by the NCPWDs in partnership with the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA).

    According to Bello, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, is passionate about PWDs.

    “This is to ensure that they are not disenfranchised, and have included exclusivity in the processes to take care of PWDs.

    “The idea of gathering and facilitating the registration of PWDs is very commendable, especially in view of the NCPWD mandate towards inclusivity in the election.

    “The future of Nigeria is our collective responsibility and your voice and vote is your power. So we want to use this forum to call on PWDs to come in mass and register in the CVR exercise in FCT.

    ” And we in INEC will work in conjunction and partnership with NCPWD in order to ensure that we register them and their PVCs would come out and they will vote in the 2023 election,” Bello said.

    Mr James Lalu, the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, said all the candidates of all the political parties for the 2023 general elections should know that PWDs have a voice and their vote would count.

    He said they should look for disability communities in their constituencies and engage them positively towards the 2023 general elections.

    “Our scaling up of the voter registration is to ensure that all PWDs participate fully in the electoral system where they can exercise their civil rights.

    “With the coming into being of the Persons with Disability Prohibition Act, it has escalated a lot of opportunities for the respect, right and dignity of PWDs in Nigeria.

    “We have heard from the INEC’s REC on the commitment to ensure inclusivity of PWDs in the electoral process and we will remain committed to that.

    “We are going to hold INEC to their words so that we would see and monitor as the process goes on. We will go around to ensure that PWDs register and get their voter cards.

    ” Our media men, we continue to call on you to project the necessary voice of the disability community,” Lalu said.

    Also, the Executive Director of IFA, Mrs Grace Jerry, said in spite of awareness and mobilisation by CSOs and the Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, Many PWDs were yet to register for the PVC.

    “According to Inclusive Friends 2021 Data for inclusion report, some challenges that limit their participation in CVR exercise were access to registration centres and the digital smart tools to register independently.

    ” Similarly, PWDs who have access to smart tools are not literate enough to go through the process online,” Jerry said.

    She, however, commended NCPWD, INEC and other relevant stakeholders for their support in diverse ways, to enhance the care, progress and inclusivity of PWDs across the country.

  • Rehabilitation of NASS complex to gulp N30 billion

    Rehabilitation of NASS complex to gulp N30 billion

    The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello says N21.029 billion is needed to complete the rehabilitation of the National Assembly Complex.

    He disclosed this on Thursday during an oversight tour of some projects in the capital city by the Senate Committee on FCT.

    The minister while noting that the National Assembly Phase II popularly known as “the White House” was realised from 1996 to 1999 by ITB Nigeria Ltd added that no major rehabilitation works had been carried out on the building over the years.

    He said that the contract which was awarded on Dec. 30, 2021 for 16 months has a contract sum of N30,229,290,830.35 while the amount paid was N9,200,000,000.00.

    “The commencement date is April 16 and is expected to be completed Aug. 15, 2023.

    The minister listed other priority projects embarked upon by the administration to include rehabilitation of Federal Secretariat complex, construction of southern park way from Christian Center to ring road.

    Others he said were the rehabilitation of expansion of Outer Southern Expressway, provision of engineering infrastructure for Wuye District, rehabilitation and expansion of Outer Southern Expressway Villa Roundabout and completion of B6, B12 and Circle Road in Central Area.

    He explained that the ministry gave some projects in the city priority over others due to scarcity of funds.

    “What we did was because of the scarcity of funds, we prioritised key infrastructure projects to get them completed.

    “And in deciding to the ones that fit into that category, we looked at the ones that will give the maximum benefit to the maximum number of people.

    “All the four projects we visited, you find that they are all road projects that are meant to link one section of the Abuja city to another and that is the whole idea.

    “The masterplan has been designed in such a way that they complement each other.

    “So if you finish one portion and you don’t do the other one, then you don’t get the full utility of that particular road.”

    Bello further said that it was the intention of the ministry that as the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration rounds off, a number of projects would be completed.

    “Some of them we intend to develop them to a level whereby the next team should be able to do it.

    “Ultimately, the objective is to make Abuja a vibrant city; a city where people will feel comfortable; where there wouldn’t be traffic gridlock and where facilities will work.”

    He said that working together with the Senate, the ministry would be able to achieve the completion of the projects.

    Bello, however, said that running a mega city was a huge challenge noting that demographically, Abuja had changed tremendously.

    “So the main challenge is to be able to fast tract the provision of infrastructure at a pace that will be able to match with population growth.”

    Also speaking, Chairman Senate Committee on FCT Sen. Tolu Odebiyi, who led the committee members said:”what we have seen is quite impressive.

    “We believe that in the twilight of this administration, in the next month, it is important we catalogue all the projects that are being done and prioritise the ones that must be completed before the end of this term.

    “This is so that we can also make sure we provide the adequate funding and budget for it.

    “Their budget is going to be forwarded to us very shortly and it is important we come and see the state of the work and the completion rate of the programme before we take them on.

    “Like any other project, we will make sure all the projects that require priority are given the due attention like any other project.”

  • Police enforce Spy number plates ban in FCT

    Police enforce Spy number plates ban in FCT

    The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) says it has commenced the enforcement of the ban on use of Spy number plates in the territory.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the territory, DSP Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    Recall that the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, on Wednesday banned the issuance and use of Spy number plates nationwide.

    The I-GP said the ban was to forestall the continuous disregard of traffic rules and other extant laws guiding road usage by individuals using the SPY police number plates.

    Adeh said the Command on Thursday took to the streets of the territory for the enforcement.

    She the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the FCT, Mr Babaji Sunday said the ban followed public outcry over disregard for traffic rules by bearers of the Spy number plates.

    Sunday added that the ban was also to address the misuse of the privileges attached to the use of the number plates.

    The police boss said the measure would complement the already existing robust security architecture to curb crime and criminality in the FCT.

    Sunday directed officers and men deployed for the exercise to discharge their duties with utmost regard for fundamental human rights of residents, in line with global best practices.

    The commissioner of police therefore enjoined residents to embrace the development and cooperate with the police.

    He explained that the personnel were directed to only confiscate the number plates and not arrest anyone, “except on other logical grounds discovered in the course of executing the order”.

  • Tinubu urges FG to go after Kuje Prison attackers

    Tinubu urges FG to go after Kuje Prison attackers

    Sen. Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 presidential candidate, has called on relevant authorities to go after Tuesday’s attackers of Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Tinubu who is also one of the leaders of the APC, made the call in a statement by his Media Officer, Mr Tunde Rahman, in Abuja.

    He particularly condemned the terrorists attack on the centre, saying that the incessant terror attacks plaguing the country was worrisome.

    The former two-term Lagos State governor, while calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and united behind constituted authorities, said fleeing inmates from the facility must be re-arrested and returned to the facility.

    “These incessant attacks on government’s institutions and innocent citizens are a sad reminder that we still have a lot to do to put these evil forces in check.”

    He condemned the dastardly attack, urging the government to immediately go after the attackers and fleeing inmates of the facility.

    While calling for full investigation of the incident and the possible failure to act on intelligence, Tinubu said Nigerians must all remain vigilant and united.

    He added that the moment called for national unity and deep introspection.
    He, however, said that Nigerians should continue to support the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its battle against insurgents and determination to confront agents of darkness.

    He commiserated with the families and relations of those who lost their lives in the attack and called on government to continue to provide succor and medical attention to those injured.

    Newsmen recalled that the facility’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abubakar Umar, had in a statement, said four inmates died in the attack while 16 sustained injuries and were being treated.

    A security personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), drafted to the centre was also shot dead by the attackers who stormed the facility through the fence and main entrance, using explosive devices.

    Umar said 879 inmates escaped from the facility out of which 443 had been recaptured while efforts were ongoing to get all fleeing inmates.

    About 24 hours after the incident, a terrorist group, Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP), claimed responsibility for the attack.

    In a video shared by the terrorist group on Wednesday, many of the inmates were seen fleeing the prison.

    Umar assured that the service would deploy its Corrections Information Management System (CIMS) in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC) to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody

  • Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    The Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed the attack on the  Kuje correctional facility in the area council of the Federal Capital Territory, stating that the situation has been put under control.

    This was disclosed by Umar Abubakar, Nigerian Correctional Service spokesperson, on Wednesday.

    He stated that the armed squad of the service in collaboration with other security agencies responded to the attack. adding that calm had been returned to the area.

    The statement reads, “I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.

    “However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.

     

  • Abuja residents lament, appeal to Buhari over cost of bread; seek alternatives

    Abuja residents lament, appeal to Buhari over cost of bread; seek alternatives

    Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory have begun consuming food that serves as alternatives to bread, following the continuous increase in the price of the everyday use commodity.

    Many of them have also been complaining over the price increase itself while appealing to the Federal Government to address the challenges facing bakers in the country.

    Some of the residents in Abuja said that the recurring increase in the price of bread has deprived a lot of families of the opportunity of eating it at will.

    Mrs Esther Oluniyi, a mother of four and civil servant said bread used to be the only affordable and available ready-to-eat food for most Nigerian households.

    Oluniyi added that with the recent increase in the price of bread, it has now become an unaffordable and unavailable food item on every family’s table.

    “The bread I used to buy for N500 about two months ago is now N700 to N800.

    “Before, I used to buy two to three loaves per day, but now I can only afford four loaves per week, which means our consumption of bread has reduced and the business for the seller is dying.

    “I have replaced bread with yam and egg, pap and akara,” she said.

    Oluniyi however appealed to the government to look into the cost of bread and find a lasting solution.

    Mrs Sukanmi Johnson, a mother of three, also a civil servant, said a lot of families now have alternatives to bread due to the recent increase in the price of bread.

    “I now have an alternative to bread for me and my children. Instead of buying bread everyday, we now rotate it with potato, yam, pap, spaghetti and other types of food,” Johnson said.

    She said it would be good for the government to assist farmers to cultivate wheat in Nigeria so Nigeria would not depend on other countries for wheat importation.

    “I believe that the earlier we start eating what we grow and grow what we eat, the better it would be for the country.

    “I know that it was the recent increase in the price of raw materials for bread production that made the price of bread to increase.

    “So, there is need for the government to help manufacturers reduce cost of production,” Johnson said.

    Bisi Divine-Grace, a seven year old pupil said the recent increase in the price of bread has forced her parents to reduce the number of loaves they eat per day.

    “We now take three slices of bread for breakfast instead five to six that we normally eat.

    “If you want to take more than three slices, mummy will be shouting bread is now expensive o,”
    Divine-Grace said.

    Ms Peace Okhuasogie, the Manager of Nextar Bakery said the recent increase in the price of bread has affected bakers’ production level negatively nationwide.

    According to Okhuasogie, because of the increase, most bakeries in the FCT have been forced to close down.

    “And the ones that are not closed down are struggling to continue production,” she said.

    Okhuasogie however appealed to the government and other private sector stakeholders to intervene urgently in the sector which she said “is about to collapse”.

  • Over 40 bakeries shutdown in FCT over cost of production

    Over 40 bakeries shutdown in FCT over cost of production

    No fewer than 40 bakeries have closed shop in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over cost of production and multiple taxation and hike in electricity tariff, among others.

    Some of the bakeries visited were not opened for business due to operational cost and multiple taxation by some government agencies.

    Some of the bakeries that have closed shops are Abumme bakery Ltd. Lugbe, Airports road; Hamdala Bakery, Kuje; Harmony Bite Bakery, Karu, and Doweey Delight Bakery Ltd, Kubwa.

    Others include Merit Baker, Mpape; Funez Baker, Orozo; Slyz Bakery, Wuse Zone 2, and others.

    Mr Ishaq Abdulraheem, the Chairman, Abuja Master Bakers, FCT said that it was becoming increasingly disturbing that bakeries in Abuja could no longer cope with the high cost of production.

    He said that most members had lost their means of livelihood, while workers had been out of job due to the shutdown.

    He called on the Federal Government to quickly intervene and check agencies of government frustrating bakery business.

    He identified some of the agencies to include the National Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Environmental Standards and Regulations, and Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

    He said that the six Area Councils in FCT had also made business very unpleasant and difficult for bakeries with huge taxes and tenement rates.

    An Abuja baker, Mr Nuhu Musa of Hamdala Bakery, Kuje, FCT appealed to the government to regulate the activities of these agencies to reduce the different taxes they imposed on bakers.

    Musa said many bakeries were struggling to survive due to the high cost of production.

    “We want government to regulate these agencies so that our production process will be easy.

    “These taxations are negatively impacting our business to the extent that many of us have closed down.

    “This is also affecting employment as many bakery workers are out of work presently and you know the effect of that on the society; some will turn to criminality,’’ he said.

    Musa said, for instance, NAFDAC will come to their bakeries to check for certificates, while SON will come for the registration of the product.

    “How much are we making to warrant all these checking and payments,’’ he said.

    Some of the Abuja residents who spoke with NAN decried the high cost of bread in the market, stressing that bread was gradually becoming the food for the rich.

    Mr Julius Anthony, a resident said that some of the bread he usually bought for N500 per loaf now cost as much as N1,000.

    Miss Aisha Danjuma,  another resident of FCT called on the government to immediately intervene over the high cost of bread, adding that “bread is the food for the masses and must not be taken away from them.’’

  • Ahmadu Bello memorial foundation; Malam Bello pledges support

    Malam Muhammad Bello, the Minister of FCT, has pledged the support of the FCT Administration for the activities of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Bello gave the assurance when he hosted members of the Board of Trustees and Management of the foundation, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The minister recalled that the late Sir Ahmadu Bello had a great influence on him as a child and as a student, as well as on the lives of many other Nigerians.

    He expressed his appreciation of the FCT Administration to the foundation for its humanitarian activities in the nation’s capital, especially for its donation to the FCT at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Bello was decorated as an Ambassador of the Foundation during the visit by the Chairman of its Board of Trustees and former Governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu Aliyu who led the delegation.

    Aliyu commended the good work the Minister was doing in the FCT, while also thanking him for his support for the Foundation.

    He said the foundation was deeply involved in the education sector with the provision of scholarships to indigent students whom he said were doing very well in their academic pursuits.

    He used the opportunity to call on Nigerians with the means, to sponsor indigent students through school.

    He also spoke on the legacies of Sir. Ahmadu Bello whom he described as a detribalised Nigerian.

    “There was no discrimination in terms of religion or tribe. All the stories you hear were of unifying the people.

    ” We need to remind our children and ourselves that there are values in the northern region that you must stick with if you want to remain united and develop properly.”

    Present at the meeting were the Secretary of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and former Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Abubakar Umar.

  • FCT VIO bans forceful removal of vehicle number plates

    FCT VIO bans forceful removal of vehicle number plates

    Mr. Abdul-Lateef Bello, Director, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Vehicle Inspection Office, has banned traffic operatives from forcefully removing vehicle number plates of traffic offenders in the territory.

    The Directorate’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Kalu Emetu, who disclosed this in an interview with NAN, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the order was part of the agency’s ongoing reforms.

    Emetu said Bello gave the directive while presenting the new operational order to personnel of the office recently.

    The PRO said the operatives had rather been directed to make use of their telephone cameras to capture the number plates of such vehicles.

    He said that the image of the number plate were to be sent to the directorate’s control room, saddled with the responsibility of stipulating fines on defaulters, through telephone or email messages.

    “The ban is in line with world best traffic regulation practices.

    “Removal of plate numbers from vehicles is out of fashion, and the territory remains a model city in Nigeria.

    “Officers are called to discharge their duties professionally, as this will go a long way to determine the respect an officer will receive from residents and motorists,” Emetu said.

  • Tukur Buratai: Report on seizure of cash, inaccurate – ICPC

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has described as inaccurate reports that the commission raided a property allegedly belonging to former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

    This is contained in a statement by the Spokesperson for the ICPC, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, on Friday.

    “The attention of the commission has been drawn to some inaccurate and concocted reports in the media about the seizure of multibillion-naira cash, dollars, Rolex watches stockpiled in an Abuja property.

    “The commission wishes to state that ICPC operatives raided a property in Wuse II of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on June 16, in suspicion of money laundering.

    “Facts available for the time being indicates that the property is owned by K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.

    “The commission recovered money and other items from the property viz. N175,706,500; 220,965 dollars; G-Wagon; 2022 editions of BMW and Mercedes Benz cars; customized mobile phones; several designer wrist watches, including three Rolexes, and some property documents.

    “The commission arrested the Managing Director of K Salam Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Mr Kabiru Sallau and investigation is ongoing.

    “The commission is yet to conclude its investigation and prefers not to preempt its outcome and also avoid the frenzy of a media trial, ” the ICPC said.