Mohammed Bello: Changing the face of Abuja

As the President Muhammadu Buhari government marches towards its third year in office, one of the shining stars of this administration is the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Bello. Despite developing over the years as a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious city of cohabitation, today the FCT can be proud that it had a minister that represents that categorization both in outlook and good governance.
With the change mantra of the Buhari administration, this minister, in my view, has no other option than the determined and concerted efforts by him to mould a vibrant FCT. He sets out to concretize the noble objectives of the president to make Abuja a federal city that Nigerians can be proud of. A lot of development has happened in the FCT during the period under review that had been a factor that has secured the city, makes it environmentally friendly and above all responsive in terms of service delivery to the people.
Though the minister acknowledged that there are challenges, but he has pragmatically and systematically solved step by step those challenges inhibiting the developmental speed of the FCT. If you look at the developmental strive of the minister sectorally, you will agree that reasonable milestones have been achieved. In the area of the environment, by all standards the city is now cleaner and greener. The minister hopes to achieve a more greener and cleaner city by dialoguing with the ministry of finance to be part of those city that will benefit from the green bonds projects. The project will ensure the deployment of more buses to the central business units of the FCT, Suleja and Zuba axis. The importance of green bond projects is to make the environment friendly and free from pollution.
Infrastructurally, the minister has successfully reached a milestone particularly with the development of the Abuja light rail. The tracks of the rail have been completed while ministry is in the process of procuring the locomotives. The communications and signaling facilities are almost completed. With this development the movement of passengers towards the end of the year shall commence. When this is achieved, it is expected to be the game changer of the city. Abuja can truly be called a city that has urban rail system and thus enhance its developments.
On road, the minister has developed a programme of action that has led to the completion of the Airport road and the Bill Clinton bridge leading to the airport. The Kubwa road project and the circle road which enveloped the city as well as the B6 and B12 roads have virtually been completed. The road development programme of the minister has led to the easing of traffic and by extension the security and increase in economic activities of the city.
On water, the minister got approval for $470 million for the execution of the greater Abuja water projects and the Karshi water works that will boost water supply to the FCT. The health sector also received the attention of the minister. The minister completed the Zuba cottage hospitals and Karu hospitals and increased the bed spaces in some of the hospitals. The infrastructural decay in some of these hospitals also received attention as it has led to increase level of health care delivery to all and sundry in the FCT.
One of the critical areas that has received the attention of the minister is land allocation. He reformed land allocation of lands in the FCT thus resolving about 500 pending issues within this period. On bureaucracy, the minister has enhanced the institutional framework for the FCTA to ensure service delivery and institutional memory. He did this by deliberately allowing the bureaucracy to work. This has effectively stopped the mentality of staff having to wait for ministering directives to do their work.
The minister also approved the training and retraining of staff of the ministry to enhance their capabilities and effectiveness. On the contentious issue of demolition, the minister developed a system to halt indiscriminate demolition but the global best practices which entail the upgrading and integration of infrastructure for the benefits of the people.
Finally, Mallam Mohammed Bello has by words and deeds convinced a large enough section of the people and residents of the FCT in particular about his vision for the FCT and for a greater tomorrow. While the experience of the past has been disappointing, today, with this minister, we have every reason to believe that the future of the FCT is likely to be better. Thank you, Mr Minister.

Jamila Musa,
Abuja

Leave a Reply