By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike has disclosed that the FCT Administration has allocated the sum of N26.6 billion to FCT Water Board and Abuja Environmental Protection Board ,AEPB, to provide clean water and maintain a healthy environment for residents in the FCT.
Wike made this known on Monday when he appeared in the company of the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud before the Senate and House Committees on FCT to defend the N2.25 trillion 2024 proposed FCT Statutory Budget.
The minister stated that out of the N26.6 billion, N9 billion was earmarked to fix the water sector for enhanced water treatment and supply in the FCT for residents.
He explained that out of the N9 billion, N2.2 billion was earmarked for water treatment chemicals while N7.4 billion was for the FCT Water Board personnel costs, overhead costs, and capital expenditure.
Wike said, “Through the 2024 statutory budget, we shall accelerate the implementation of the Greater Abuja Water Project being executed through a China Exim Bank Loan, but for which we are to make counterpart funding provision.”
He noted that the completion of implementation of the project will extend water supply to about 26 districts and layouts.
According to the minister, the FCTA had reached an advanced stage in exploiting Public Private Partnership for the deployment of pre-paid meters for dispensing of water at points of consumption.
This is to bridge the wide gap between current revenue generation in the water sector, its inherent potential, as well as the need to minimize water wastage.
“The successful implementation of this initiative will greatly assist in addressing the revenue shortfalls of the sector,” he said.
The minister also told the Assembly members that a total of N17.6 billion was allocated to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board ,AEPB, to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
“It is worthy to note that the City Cleaning contracts of the FCT require over N7 billion per annum, while the maintenance of the Wupa Sewage Treatment Plant requires about N2.5 billion annually.”
We are also reviewing our mode of operations to initiate a more cost-efficient city cleaning strategy in the 2024 fiscal year,” he noted.
The Chairman of Senate and House Committees on FCT, Ibrahim Bomai, and Muktar Betara both commended the minister for his efforts towards the development in the FCT, and assured him of the full support of the National Assembly.
The minister, in a breakdown of the N1.15 trillion budget, explained to the Committees that N421.44 billion was earmarked as recurrent expenditure, representing 36.7 percent, while N726.3 billion was set aside for capital expenditure, representing 63.3 percent.
“The proposed capital expenditure would be dedicated for the development of infrastructure, with emphasis on completion of ongoing projects.”
“Some critical projects to be executed by the FCT Administration in the 2024 statutory budget proposal are the completion of Roads B6 and B12 and construction of access road and car park for Abuja Light Rail.”
“Full scope development of Arterial Road N20 from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), provision of engineering infrastructure to Guzape, and provision of engineering infrastructure to Wuye District.”
“There is also the extension of Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) from Southern Parkway (S8/S9) to Ring Road II (RRII), full scope development of FCT Highway 105 (Kuje Road) from Airport Expressway to OSEX with Spur at Kyami District,”
“Construction of Northern Parkway from Ring Road II to Ring Road III (6.2Km), full scope development of N5 and N20 and provision of engineering district infrastructure to Asokoro Island Layout in the FCT. ”
“The sum of N198.5 billion is earmarked for the above eight major roads to speed up their completion before the end of 2024 fiscal year.”
“The expansion and rehabilitation of these roads will eventually reduce the travel time and traffic gridlock on our roads within and outside the city,” Wike said.
