The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that his ministry has concluded plans to reintroduce monthly sanitation as part of strategies to keep the federal capital city clean.
Wike, who made this known in Abuja on Monday after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling different projects in the FCT, said he had already briefed President Bola Tinubu on the idea that at least two Saturdays in a month would be declared for sanitation from 7am to 10am.
He explained that the move would enable companies supporting the FCT with logistics to go to market, and other public places to evacuate refuse, saying that for Abuja to be clean, everyone has to cooperate.
“We must all make sacrifices. There is nothing like we are going to suffer. You also contribute to refuse.
“So, if you spare three hours on a Saturday at home, to clear the refuse and bring them out for us to evacuate and dispose, then that is the little way you can help. We are appealing to residents to cooperate with us so we can achieve our goals,” he said.
On streetlights in the city, the minister said that there were some improvements, adding that “we are not there yet, but I can assure you that everywhere in Abuja will be lit up.”
For those who have distorted the Abuja Master Plan, Wike said that the issue would soon be addressed.
He added that the FCTA was working out which areas the parks and the greens were supposed to be and those that were built on, and that the government would look into those who refused to develop their plots for many years.
Wike said that the President Tinubu-led administration would not continue to allow undeveloped lands across the city where criminals will be taking refuge.
“How can you have empty land in the city and allow people to build shanties on them because you did not develop them?
“Some properties were built for 20 years but not completed. Go and see what is happening there, criminals have taken over the place and as a serious government, we will not allow that.
“We want to make Abuja a safe environment, but we can’t do it alone; we require the support of every stakeholder,” the minister said.
He also said that attention would be given to satellite towns beginning with a visit to the areas to determine the needs and decide on what can be done to improve their facilities and infrastructure.
He pointed out that there was no funding to intervene in all the satellite towns at the same time but one at a time subject to the availability of funds.
“It is unfortunate that contracts were awarded in virtually all the satellite towns but where is the funding? The finding is not there,” Wike said.
He noted that what was approved for FCT in the 2022 national budget was N15 billion, which is far not less than a trillion naira worth of contracts, stressing the need for the ministry to prioritise its spending.
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