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  • FCT minister felicitates with Muslim Ummah residents on Eid-El- Kabir celebration

    FCT minister felicitates with Muslim Ummah residents on Eid-El- Kabir celebration

    … calls for supplication to Allah for continuous development of the nation

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has felicitated with Muslim Ummah in the resident as they celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

    In a message to celebrate the day the Bello who extended his warmest greetings to all residents and the Ummah.

    He noted that the Sallah celebration is a unique opportunity to offer supplications to Almighty Allah for the continuous growth and development of our country. .

    Let us therefore pray for peace and the collective ability to surmount our current challenges, he advised .

    He said, ” I encourage us to use this occasion to meditate on, and give expression to the lifestyle of Prophet Ibrahim especially on the virtues of sacrifice and selflessness which Eid-el-Kabir symbolizes.”

    “As residents of our nation’s capital, we should consider it our obligation to live up to the dreams and ideals of our founding fathers who also made enormous sacrifices in the quest of making Abuja the Center of Nigeria’s unity and a melting pot of our various cultures, traditions and ideas.”

    “It is imperative therefore that we imbibe these ideals of sacrifice and nation building as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and our founding fathers to build an FCT and Nigeria of our collevtive desires.”

    “This is quite possible especially with dedication, commitment and singularity of purpose from all of us.”

    Speaking on the resurgence of COVID-19 in the territory the minister reminded residents that there could be a third wave of the pandemic, adding that the FCTA has put in place measures to curtail its spread.

    He urged residents to safeguard themselves by adhering to the prescribed non-pharmaceutical preventive measures of facial covering, hand washing and physical distancing.

    The minister enjoined residents to enjoy the celebrations from the safety of their homes as attendance of large gatherings increases the risk of contacting the virus.

    In the same vein I appeal to you all to be security concious in the course of the festivities and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies

    Residents should however be rest assured that the FCT Administration is doing its best to ensure the security of lives and property both during and after the festivities, he emphazied.
  • COVID-19 vaccine: FCT minister takes second jab, urges residents to take second dose

    COVID-19 vaccine: FCT minister takes second jab, urges residents to take second dose

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Malam Muhammad Musa Bello yesterday  received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, at the Area 11 office of the FCTA as he urged residents to follow suit.

     Also taking their second shots alongside the Minister were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the Ag Secretary of the Health and Human Services Secretariat Dr Muhammed Kawu and other staff of the FCTA.

    Speaking after his vaccination, the Minister recalled that he took the first jab on Thursday, the 11th of March, 2021 and was now due to receive the second dose of the vaccine as prescribed by the public health officials.

    He noted that  98% of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine allocated to the Territory have been utilized and commended residents of the FCT for their response to the vaccination efforts of the government.

    He called on all those who are yet to be vaccinated to do same as he said that  it was only through vaccination that herd immunity can be achieved. 

    The Minister said, “Whatever, support  the Federal Government is giving to us in the FCT, let’s grab it and use it effectively because, unless we get a substantial percentage of our population fully vaccinated, then we will not reach what the public health officials call herd immunity whereby we can say that the incidence of this particular disease has been conquered.”

    He expressed happiness that while the number of positive cases in the FCT has been on a steady decline, in spite of the large number of residents being tested, residents must not be complacent but should continue to take measures to protect themselves against the virus.

    The Minister also assured that the FCT Administration will continue to work hard to ensure that every resident is protected against COVID-19, with the efforts of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat.

    He thereafter called on officials of the HHSS to continue to work to maintain all the facilities that have been established and installed for the purpose of the pandemic, to ensure that the FCT is fully prepared for any unforeseen event.

    Present at the vaccination centre were officials of the WHO, NCDC, UNICEF and other staff of the FCTA.

  • 98% of allocated COVID-19 doses used – FCT minister

    98% of allocated COVID-19 doses used – FCT minister

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, on Thursday, said 98 per cent of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine allocated to Abuja have been used.

    This is as he commended residents of the FCT for their response to the vaccination efforts of the government.

    According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye, the minister spoke when he led other members of his cabinet to receive the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

    The statement was titled ‘FCT minister takes second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.’

    It read, “Bello revealed that 98 per cent of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine allocated to the Territory have been utilized and commended residents of the FCT for their response to the vaccination efforts of the government.

    “He, however, reminded them that it was only through vaccination that herd immunity can be achieved. He, therefore, called on all those who were yet to be vaccinated to do so.

    “Whatever support the Federal Government is giving to us in the FCT, let’s grab it and use it effectively because, unless we get a substantial percentage of our population fully vaccinated, then we will not reach what the public health officials call herd immunity whereby we can say that the incidence of this particular disease has been conquered.

    “The minister further noted that while the number of positive cases in the FCT has been on a steady decline, in spite of the large number of residents being tested, residents must not be complacent but should continue to take measures to protect themselves against the virus.

    “The minister also assured that the FCT Administration will continue to work hard to ensure that every resident is protected against COVID-19, with the efforts of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat.

    “He, thereafter, called on officials of the HHSS to continue to work to maintain all the facilities that have been established and installed for the purpose of the pandemic, to ensure that the FCT is fully prepared for any unforeseen event.”

  • COVID-19: FCT restricts Eid prayers to Juma’at mosques

    COVID-19: FCT restricts Eid prayers to Juma’at mosques

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    The FCT Administration has directed that Muslim faithful should offer their Eid prayers only at Juma’at mosques premises.

    FCT Minister Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello gave this directive yesterday when la delegation from the FCT League of Imams Initiative led by its Chairman, Imam Tajudeen Adigun met with the minister to discuss the modalities for the Eid prayers for the upcoming Eid el-Fitr celebrations amid the COVID- 19 pandemic.

    Bello said the directive was based on battle against the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced in the FCT which resulted in increased number of fatalities and positive cases adding that it was imperative to prevent a possible third wave as is being witnessed in some countries across the world.

    Meanwhile the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA has issued guideline that here will be no Eid prayers at the National Eid prayer ground along the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Expressway (Airport Road) and enjoined all worshippers to hold Eid prayers outdoors within the premises of the neighborhood Juma’at mosques.

    Indoor worship are to be limited to less than 50% of installed capacity. Religious authorities are advised to regulate the flow of people entering and exiting places of worship.
    All non-pharmaceutical intervention protocols of facial coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are to be observed.
    All other Eid celebrations and activities should be confined to homes as all public parks, recreation and entertainment centers are to be closed.

    Dr Tajudeen Mohammed Bello Adigun, speaking on behalf of the League, said “In Islam, you listen to experts, those who are specialists and those who have actually discussed with us are experts in the field of medical sciences. In Islam, you also abide with the commands of leadership.”

    He also urged Muslim Ummah to also respect the FCT Administration by observing Eid prayers within people’s localities.

  • COVID- 19: FCT Minister commissions N2m molecular Diagnostic laboratory

    COVID- 19: FCT Minister commissions N2m molecular Diagnostic laboratory

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commissioned the new Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory donated by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 as its “Legacy Project” at the Kubwa General Hospital yesterday.

    Bello expressed appreciation of the Administration and residents of the FCT to the Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, former Minister of the FCT, noting that the contributions to the FCT in the fight against COVID-19 as immeasurable.

    He said, “without any fear of contradiction, I wish to say that the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee displayed an immeasurable sense of duty and deep love for country and humanity.”

    The minister further noted that the efforts of the members of the Committee assisted the FCT Administration in setting up its flagship Isolation and Treatment Center at Idu with the resources mobilized by its members through their wide network of associates.

    Malam Bello disclosed that although the FCT is epicenter of the disease in Nigeria, the efforts of the Committee and the entire COVID-19 Response ensured that relatively few fatalities have been recorded in the FCT while meeting testing targets.

    He paid tribute the medical personnel who lost their lives in the course of the fight and observed a minute silence for the repose of their souls.

    He also urged residents of the FCT not to be complacent and continue to observe all COVID-19 protocols despite the low positive cases being reported, saying that the virus was still very much around.

    The Minister reiterated the FCT Administration’s commitment to ensure replication of similar facilities in the other Area Councils of the FCT using a combination of public and private sector funding as recommended by the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee.

    Chairman of the Committee, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar said it is made up of retired public servants and other individuals from the private sector with the “main task of advising the Minister on strategic response in terms of medical, logistics and public engagement with the view of complementing the existing structures already in place by the FCTA in fighting the pandemic”

    Meanwhile Madibbo disclosed that the sum of N202,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Two Million Naira) was contributions from various donors and the Committee decided unanimously to bequeath the FCT with the Legacy Project of a Biosafety Level II Molecular Polymerase Chain Reaction COVID-19 Laboratory at the Kubwa General Hospital.

    According to him the laboratory is capable of testing not only COVID-19 but other infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis, Lassa Fever, Ebola, HIV, the Hepatitis Spectrum and Yellow Fever.

    Minister of State for Health, Senator Adeleke Mamora present at the ocassion congratulated the FCT Administration for the establishment of the laboratory and commended it for working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health in the fight against the virus.

    Present at the event were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the FCTA Ag Secretary of Health Dr Muhammed Kawu and National Incident Manager of the Presidential Task Force of COVID-19 Dr Muhktar Muhammed and senior members of the FCTA amongst members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19.

  • FCT Minister Charges AEPB, Others To Maintain High Level Of Sanitation Along Airport Road

    FCT Minister Charges AEPB, Others To Maintain High Level Of Sanitation Along Airport Road

    The Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has charged the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and other relevant agencies of the FCT Administration to ensure that the Umaru Musa Yar’adua way (Airport road) is kept clean at all times.

    The Minister gave the charge over the weekend when he led a team of heads of relevant agencies to inspect and assess the level of sanitation on the road.

    His Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    The statement read, “The visit with relevant agencies was to enable me to see progress on the instruction that pedestrian bridges are not to be used as markets and trading points.

    “So far, I am pleased with the progress made and support from the communities along the Umar Yaradua (Airport) Express Way.”

    The Minister also advised the relevant agencies to sustain their efforts and called for the cooperation of the local communities along the airport road.

    Meanwhile, in line with the Minister’s directive, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board ( AEPB) has instructed its personnel handling the road corridor to redouble their efforts in cleaning all the drainages as well as vegetation control.

    The AEPB assured that the cleaning of all the pedestrian bridges and interchanges, as well as removal of waste in villages along the airport road, would be sustained.

    The Minister’s assessment tour took him through the entire length of the airport road, where he physically inspected the pedestrian bridges

  • FCT Minister flags – off FG’s community development programme in Adamawa

    FCT Minister flags – off FG’s community development programme in Adamawa

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has flagged-  off a Special Public works Programme of the Federal Government in Adamawa State.

    The programme would have a direct positive bearing on community development   which is also aimed at creating job opportunities for Nigerians  across the 774,000  local government areas in the country.

     will have a direct positive bearing on the development of communities across the country.

    Bello disclosed the objective of the programme at  the flag –off ceremony in Adamawa State at Ribadu Square, Yola yesterday.

    According to the minister, the programme  was created by the Federal Government to mitigate the negative Socio- economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will create jobs for at least 21,000 young men and women from the 21 local government areas of the State who will be constructively engaged for 3 months.

     He also revealed that the beneficiaries of the programme will be engaged in the provision of services critical to the rehabilitation and maintenance of public and social infrastructure in communities across state, adding that the initiative demonstrated quite clearly the efforts and determination of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to identify with, and protect the most vulnerable members of the society.

     Speaking further the Malam Bello Said “the successful implementation of this programme and other social invest programmes such as the NPower and Conditional Cash Transfer shows clearly that Mr President cares very much about the ordinary Nigerian and is willing to go to great lengths to ensure their welfare and wellbeing”

      He called on the beneficiaries to therefore justify their inclusion by being diligent and dedicated in the discharge of their duties while commending the National Directorate of employment and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for initiating the programme.

    The FCT Minister also commended the Adamawa State Governor for his support of Federal Government Projects in the State.

     In the words of the Minister, “I wish to publicly and sincerely thank his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Adamawa State for being receptive to all Federal Government projects in the State. He has been a supporter of all the programmes of Mr President that are meant to provide the needed support to our teeming population”.

     At the event were the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Chief Crowther Seth, who represented the Executive the Governor, Secretary to the State Government, Mallam, Ahmed Bashir, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. Maxwell Gidado and the Galadima Adamawa Alh Mustapha Aminu, Who represented the Lamido of Adamawa.

     Also present were the Adamawa State Coordinator of the NDE, Mallam Ibrahim Faisal and representative of the Ag Director General of the NDE, Mrs Joyce Nanre, Deputy Director, Women employment Branch.

  • FCT minister decorates newly promoted security personnels

    FCT minister decorates newly promoted security personnels

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju 

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has decorated some newly promoted men of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the FCT.

     Mallam Bello also called for support for the security agencies in the country as a whole for their efforts at combating security challenges.

    The minister made this call while decorating his newly promoted Chief Security Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police Ahmed Rasheed, and three other officers in his security team with their new ranks, and stressed the need to give the Nigeria Police and other security agencies the support and appreciation they duly deserve for their job of policing the country, particularly the FCT.

    Contrary to the negative perceptions of the Police Force he  commended the FCT Police Command for keeping the nation’s capital safe.

    According to the minister   most  times the police officers are not given due credit for their efforts. He said “in the FCT Command, I know the kind of work you have done, tirelessly, day and night. I am telling you, for each robbery incident, the FCT Command are able to prevent 10; for each kidnapping in the papers, they must have prevented up to 20; and every day, arrests are being made”.

       Malam Bello also called on Nigerians to provide them with credible information to enable them perform their duties well.

    He  said that celebrating the newly decorated officers was a good way to end the year 2020 which has been fraught with a lot of challenges for the security agencies.

    While commending the officers on their promotion, the Minister urged them to reciprocate the gesture by putting in more effort in the discharge of their duties.

    Speaking earlier, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Bala Ciroma congratulated the officers for their promotions and reminded them that the reward for hard work was even more work.

  • Minister reiterates commitment to fostering unity in FCT

    Minister reiterates commitment to fostering unity in FCT

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Bello in a new year message today reiterated his administration’s commitment to fostering unity in the territory.

    In a message signed by the minister today and made available to Daybreak, Bello  also wished residents and staff of the FCTA  a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year amid observing the COVID-19 precautionary protocols.

    He said, ” The FCT was built on the foundation of all Nigerians. Regardless of ethnic or religious differences and this was exemplified as we battled the virus in 2020. It demonstrated in more ways than one that the idea of founding the FCT was not misplaced.”

    “I  therefore want to urge you all to continue to demonstrate this principal of oneness and togetherness and fight hard to resist efforts to cause disunity or disharmony within the ranks.”

    The minister further noted that despite the challenges of COVID-19 in the territory residents should continue to fight the pandemic by adhering to established health protocols of facial covering, hand washing and distancing.

    He emphasized that following these simple public health instructions will help in controlling the spread of this second wave of COVID-19 which has proven to be more aggressive than the first wave.

    I therefore appeal to residents to please continue to adhere to these health protocols as we step into the New Year, Bello said.

  • FCT Minister condoles Leadership newspaper over death of Publisher

    FCT Minister condoles Leadership newspaper over death of Publisher

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has mourned the death of the Publisher of Leadership newspaper Sam Nda- Isaiah who passed on in the early hours of Friday.

    In a condolence message to his family and the Leadership newspaper, Bello described the late Publisher as a politician and an epitome of hard-work and patriotism, a bridge builder and a firm believer in the unity of Nigeria.

    The minister said , “Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, was an epitome of hard work, a firm believer in the unity of Nigeria and a great patriot. Although a pharmacist by training, through hard work and commitment to excellence, he founded the Leadership Group which has in its stable one of Nigeria’s foremost and most influential newspapers.”

    He  also noted that as a resident of Abuja, whose business concerns were located in the nation’s capital, the late Sam Nda-Isaiah contributed immensely to the development of the FCT.

    Malam Bello also prayed that the Almighty will grant his entire family and the Leadership Group the strength to bear the loss.