There are ministers and there are ministers. Some are remembered only when one is listing all the ministers out. Such will be remembered for passing through Buhari administration without leaving a landmark.
However, among the present 43 ministers, there are however few that are leaving verifiable achievements behind after May 29, 2023.
Among this number is Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the amiable Amazon in the administration of the FCT.
She is a young woman in a hurry but resolute to write her own copy of history by leaving a legacy to whatever is given to her.
Her sense of character and her no nonsense reputation for getting results and her doggedness, this passionate political princess of Kogi state has shown that success is no respecter of gender but only favours hardwork, tenacity and purpose.
Ramatu has some Mandate Secretariats under her supervision and she has not disappointed her principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, in ensuring results in these places.
Ramatu was appointed a minister in August 2019 and she hit the ground running. As immediate past national women leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, she knew the burden of leadership.
On assumption of office, Ramatu went round all the agencies and departments under her supervision to get first hand information about their needs and challenges.
Before her assumption of office, there was problem of herders and farmers in some localities around Abaji and Kwali Area Councils.
She did the needful and by today to her credit, the issue of clashes between the farmers and herders have become history as they now both live in peace and harmony thereafter.
In line with the 13 oresidential deliverables assigned to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), by Mr. President, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, committed herself to hardwork, loyalty and commitment to duty in ensuring that those targets were achieved within stipulated timeframes.
In the area of agriculture, as part of efforts towards achieving Mr. President’s agenda of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, the FCT administration inaugurated an aquaculture centre valued for women and youths in Kwali Area Council under the supervision of the FCT Minister of State.
Other agriculture-centric rural interventions include; more effective farm input distribution system, provision of high-yield seedlings, fertilizers and pesticides, in a timely manner and at subsidised rates.
In recognition of the housing deficit in the nation’s capital, especially among civil servants, a review of previous attempts at providing 500 units of affordable housing has been completed.
Modalities were put in place to guarantee accessibility and affordability to deserving beneficiaries, including funding arrangements with potential funders such as the Family Homes Fund Limited and the Federal Mortgage Bank.
She ensured that layouts were identified for affordable housing provision in all the six (6) Area Councils, development plans prepared for the layouts, and prototype designs produced for housing types and 3D models have been completed for the Muhammadu Buhari Housing Estate in Karshi, for the FCTA and FCDA staff.
Meanwhile, in an effort to deliver key health interventions and in line with Primary healthcare being one of the presidential deliverables, Ramatu, has established a mandatory Universal Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme.
The administration with relevant stakeholders implement a comprehensive plan to resolve all resettlement issues in the FCT.
Gude Resettlement Layout is to accommodate six communities namely; Waru, Kabusa, Pigba 1, Pigba 2, Chafuyi and Apo Tafyi.
A number of compensation issues have been resolved in respect of crops and economic trees as well as relocation.
Waru compensation issue has been resolved. Apo community compensation issue has been resolved. Kpadnayi Community relocating to Gidan Daya has been resolved.
Bwari compensation issue has been resolved and payment completed. Karshi compensation issue has been resolved and payment completed. Gaduwa compensation issue has been resolved and payment completed, and Dakwo compensation issue has been resolved.
On tourism, Dr. Ramatu had in different fora acknowledged the potential of the tourism sector in the area of job creation and lifting millions out of poverty in line with the presidential deliverables.
The tourism sector is one sector that the administration is absolutely interested in investing, given the fact that the nation’s projected population by 2050 would be about 450 million people, and with a projected huge population, it is important that all sectors are active in order to avoid crisis.
The administration, under Ramatu’s supervision, has commence activities on Jabi Lake to enhance the tourism and recreational potential of the Lake.
Also, the Mpape Crushed site to be fully developed to a tourism destination, she revealed.
On Youths empowerment/job creation, the administration embarked on the implementation of a strategy towards the realisation of 100,000,000 Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
The administration has also committed to the creation of a minimum of 240,000 jobs to lift at least 500,000 out of poverty by June this year.
All these were initiated and supervised by Ramatu.
Certainly, Ramatu is leaving behind verifiable legacies in the administration of FCTA.
Abdul writes from Karu, Abuja via [email protected]
