By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration said has called on stakeholders to evolve ways that will correct grey areas impeding the full implementation of the Abuja master plan.
This is even as the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello, disclosed that the FCT Administration has stepped up efforts to hasten the full implementation of the master plan.
The minister stated this on Friday, at the maiden retreat organised for the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, Board Members and the Executive Management Committee.
Bello, who was represented by his chief of staff, Bashir Mai-Bornu, called on the officials of the authority and stakeholders to work out modalities that will incorporate key areas that will strengthen development of the city.
“Abuja has been rightly described as one of the fastest growing cities in the world just as the FCT is the fastest growing subnational in the country. This translates into more work for the FCDA as you try to cope with the rapid expansion of the city and ever changing structure and dynamics of the society.
There is therefore the need to keep abreast with the changes taking place around you in conformity with present and emerging realities while also charting the best way forward in fulfillment of your mandate.
“I was particularly pleased to note that this retreat is paying special attention to issues of and surrounding public procurement as well as contract management and price adjustment. These issues have over the years impacted not just the cost of important projects but completion periods and ultimately the quality of works delivered at the end of the day,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Shehu Ahmad, said despite the challenges of distortion and illegal structures across the territory, efforts are ongoing to meet up with the requirements of developing a nation’s capital.
He described the retreat as an avenue of provoking discussions on how to correct illegalities being faced by the FCDA in meeting up with the Abuja master plan.
“We organised the retreat as a means to sensitize members of the FCDA board as well as the executive management committee with other stakeholders to interact on the issue of Abuja master plan implementation”
Ahmad noted that the retreat will provoke discussions across all areas that needed urgent interventions.
On the significance of the retreat, he said the programme was coming when the new administration is about to come on board, which he said the resolutions will help the stakeholders reappraise issues in context and present a better position.
“We are discussing how and ways to address issues that are in context in developing Abuja, and how to address them, what can we do to salvage the situation especially by correcting some of the violations.
“The FCDA has not delivered up to its mandate, going by the FCT Act Decree No. 6 of 1976 in pursuit of the dream of our founding fathers to build a befitting capital city – Abuja, that can rank equal among the best in the world. We will continue to explore ways to meet up.”