By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has called for cooperation from political and community leaders in the FCT with the Administration for the removal of illegal structures and overall development of the Territory.
Bello made this call when Senator Philip Aduda led a delegation of political and community leaders on a visit to the FCT minister in the wake of the removal of illegal structures at Apo Akpajenya and Dagbalo in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Senator Philip Aduda had led the delegation to the FCTA to register concern over the removal of illegal structures in the affected communities within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
He requested that in future , before such exercises are carried out, enough notice and time should be given to the affected communities to forestall any hardship.
Meanwhile the minister noted the importance of cooperation between the political and community leaders and the FCT administration through constant communication.
He said, “dialogue and sensitization, community engagement of traditional, religious, indigenous communities as well as the Area Council political leadership and overall information dissemination are solutions to community issues.”
Bello disclosed that there were a number of pending projects that will require the cooperation of the communities to ensure success and the overall development of the FCT.
He said that as an advocate of community integration and urban renewal where urban development is implemented around indigenous communities, but this will require the cooperation of those communities.
He decried situations where community heads are refusing to cooperate with the Administration for the development of certain areas within the FCT. He reminded the leaders that the development of towns and cities take years and could not be accomplished within short periods of time.
He urged community leaders who had been relocated and resettled to move to the new locations as this will encourage the community members to follow suit, adding that, community heads should show leadership and lead by example.
Members of the delegation include Honourable Micah Jiba representing the AMAC Bwari Federal Constituency, the Executive Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Adamu Abdullahi Candido, the Sapeyi of Garki, HRH Usman Ngakupi among others.
