FCDA

The ongoing 3-day oversight visit by the Senate Committee on FCT continued with visit to the Extension of Inner Southern Expresway (ISEX), Construction of Access Road to Rail Station at Kukwaba, Access Road to Institutions District, Development of Arterial Road N20 as well as the Greater Abuja Water Works. The Chairman of the Committee who spoke on behalf of the Committee said that they were impressed with the FCT Administration as he further stated that the purpose of the tour was to determine areas of priority to allocate adequate funds during budget presentation.

Scenes from the ongoing 3-day oversight visit by members of the Senate Committee on FCT to monitor and assess infrastructural Development in the territory. They were guided on the tour by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Honourable Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijanni Aliyu accompanied by the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad.

ABUJA FLOODING: ALL OBSTRUCTIONS ON WATERWAYS TO BE CLEARED – EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.

All Obstructions on Waterways to be cleared – Executive Secretary.

n order to urgently arrest the perennial flooding witnessed in some parts of the Federal Capital City in the last few years, all obstructions on waterways are to be cleared. Already, the Department of Development Control has been directed to embark on this clearance.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad stated this when he led a team of officials from the technical departments of the FCDA/FCTA on an inspection of all the critical locations for flash flooding spots in Abuja.

The Executive Secretary revealed that “the department of Development Control has already been given a marching order to clear all obstructions that we have seen on water courses because we have noticed, especially within Trademore Estate and other adjoining Estates along some water courses, even here within the Lokogoma District, we have seen the issues that we have with Efab Estate along same axis”.

Speaking further, the Executive Secretary threatened that “we cannot allow this to continue to deter the progress being achieved in terms of providing infrastructure as has been enshrined under the Abuja Master Plan”.

He attributed the causes of the flooding to the constriction of the waterways and inadequacy of hydraulic structures that would allow the passage of water from major rivers like Wumba and Kabusa and the other locations within the city.He said punitive measures would be taken against all developers who may be found to have constricted water courses and staff of the FCTA/FCDA who may have allowed such developments along water courses.

On the likelihood of prosecuting the culprits, he said, “yes, culprits who are responsible for constricting waterways, including, if necessary, our officers who have some complicity in allowing development along water courses, we are not going to allow that”.

The Executive Secretary buttressed that “in certain cases, we have been in court with a lot of these developers. And in some cases, we have gotten at least these obstructions being cleared. We will continue to do that as part of the responsibility to ensure that the FCTA, provides a world – class capital city which we will all be proud of”.

Also speaking, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Tpl Umar Shuaibu corroborated the Executive Secretary on the issue of prosecuting the culprits, saying that “our first priority is how to save lives and anybody that requires prosecution in this matter, definitely, we are going to prosecute and if we do not punish, people will not do the right thing. So, this time around, that element of punishment is going to be imposed to make sure people do the right thing”.

On the inspection team with the Executive Secretary were the Director – general, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Dr Abbas Idris, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitian Management Council (AMMC), Tpl Umar Shuaibu and the Director, Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), Dr Isa Jalo.

Others were the Directors of Land; Resettlement and Compensation, Development Control, Public Buildings, Urban and Regional Planning; Engineering Services, and Surveying and Mapping as well as other officials of the FCDA/FCTA.

Among the locations visited were Gosa Village, Trademore Estate and the African University of Science and Technology by Galadimawa Roundabout. Others were LokogomaDistrict around Efab Estate, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church as well as Dogon Gada and Dutsen Pokma.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY INSPECTS SEWAGE TREATMEANT PLANT, MOGADISHU CANTONMENT, ASOKORO.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY RECEIVES UN-HABITAT TASK MANAGER FOR WEST AFRICA.

New Urban Agenda on their minds…

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad and the Task Manager for West Africa, United Nations (UN) – Habitat Regional Office for Africa, Mathais Spaliviero, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad and the Task Manager for West Africa, United Nations (UN) – Habitat Regional Office for Africa, Mathais Spaliviero, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary.

Abuja Master Plan ‘ll be Reviewed

Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad has said that the Authority would undertake a comprehensive review of the Abuja Master Plan with a view to addressing the current realities in the city. To this effect he said, the Authority was looking at the possibility of collaborating with agencies such as the Japanese International Cooperation Agency.

The Executive Secretary made this disclosure when he received in audience the Task Manager for West Africa under the United Nation’s (UN) –Habitat Regional Office for Africa, Mathias Spaliviero on a courtesy visit to his office. He said though Abuja is an emerging city still undergoing infrastructural development according to the Master Plan, the document had never undergone any comprehensive review.

In his words, “yes, Abuja is a planned city, and for that, it has a Master Plan for which the entire development is being operated on the basis of the need to actualize the provisions under the Master Plan. The Master Plan is supposed to be a dynamic document. But since the establishment or creation of the city, we have operated on a Master Plan that has not undergone any review” He added that “we are already looking into area of collaboration with agencies like the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to see whether we can get to undertake a general review to reflect the realities on the ground”.

The Executive Secretary expressed concern over the enormous pressure on the city’s infrastructure due to rapid population growth, saying that though the city was planned for about 3.1 million people but presently, about 6million people live in it, thus over-stretching the existing infrastructure.

He further stated that “part of the issue is that the city of Abuja has been planned for a target population of about 3.1 million by the original idea of the Master plan, but as we speak, we have not even gone beyond the development of phases 1 to 2, but already, we have beyond 6 million. “Also, when you look at other areas in which infrastructure development has not extended, but there is property development, especially mass housing, so this has really placed a lot of pressure on the city’s facilities”.

Speaking earlier, Mathias Spaliviero intimated of the UN Habitat’s willingness to collaborate with the FCDA in certain areas of the city’s development. He stressed the need for the provision of decent and affordable housing, jobs and efficient transport system for residents.

He disclosed that should the need arise, the UN-Habitat would be willing to act as the facilitator between the FCT Administration and international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB) for the provision of funds for the FCT New Urban Agenda.

For the records, the FCDA, in June 1977 commissioned the International Planning Associates (IPA) to produce a Master Plan for the new Federal Capital City (FCC) and its regional grid. The IPA later submitted a 13-chapter Master Plan to the FCDA on 15th February, 1979, during the tenure of the first Executive Secretary, Abubakar Koko.

The Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad (Right) and the President, Nigerian Institute of Architects(NIA), Arc. Enyi E. Ben - Eboh (Left), during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad (right) and the Acting Executive Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Haruna Abdullahi, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary.

Meeting between officials of the FCT Administration led by FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad and the Federal Ministry of Aviation as part of on-going consultations to execute the aviation road map for which the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello has already presented the certificate of occupancy for a 12,000 hectares land to his Aviation Counterparts Sen. Hadi Sirika.

FCTA LAND SWAP INITIATIVE PROGRAMME TAKES OFF.

*LAND SWAP INITIATIVE PROGRAMME OF THE FCT ADMINISTRATION BEGINS*

The pilot phase of the Land Swap initiative designed to remedy the infrastructure deficit in the FCT has taken off with the commencement of payment for compensation for economic trees and crops in Gwagwa District by Messr Gwagwa Concession ltd in Abuja recently.

Payment of the compensation to the natives is a major part of measures to pave way for commencement of work on the provision of engineering infrastructure to the first Land Swap District.

The Developer who flagged off the first phase of payment for compensation of about 300 million naira out of the estimated 1.5 billion for compensation for economic trees and crops to the natives and residents of Gwagwa community has by this action shown capacity and readiness to move to site years after the programme was conceived.

At the commencement of issuance of the compensation cheques to affected members of the communities at the Authority's Conference in Abuja recently, the Executive Secretary FCDA Board, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad said "We just flagged off the payment of compensation for economic trees and crops with respect to the acquisition of the land in Gwagwa District, meant for the development of infrastructure, through the land swap arrangement and initiative of the FCT Administration.

"We hold this payment of compensation very critical because the Hon. Minister has performed the flag off of the land swap programme in the FCT. Now,the community and FCT residents will know that the FCT Administration is really very prepared to go on and with experienced investor who has shown great level of commitment to the Land Swap programme as a pilot scheme.

The Authority is excited about the development and believe that Upon completion, the scheme will usher in the much desired infrastructure growth and accelerated development in partnership with the private sector.

This no doubt is coming as a big relief to the government who opted for the Land Swap initiative when it was obvious that government alone could no longer fund infrastructural development through budgetary provision due to paucity of fund and other competitive demands.

Director, Department of Resettlement and Compensation, ESV Perpetua Ohammah, spoke on details of the compensation: "We have two cheques being presented to each person. One is as agreed with the Chief. That’s a base value for every indigene that is going to lose his land.

Ishaku Dalhatu Batagarawa, Manager Operations, Resettlement and Compensation of Gwagwa Concession limited assured the Administration and Communities of their commitment to the this life changing projects which when completed many will be fully engaged in so many economic activities.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, District Head of Gwagwa under Jiwa ,Mallam Shauibu Bawa said: we are satisfied with the entire processes and pledge out cooperation to the Administration.

Felicia Anthony Okoro
PRO Dept of Resettlement and compensation FCDA

The Executive Secretary ,Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad(right); President , Association of FCT staff with disabilities ,Ina Ejindu Obasi and the secretary , Israel Akpan, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary.

FCT delegates to the 9th AFRICITIES Summit holding in Kisumu, Kenya from 17th-21st May 2022 with the theme "The City We Need Now". The delegation is led by the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad who is representing the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello.

Joint visit by officials of the FCT Administration led by the FCDA Executive Secretary,Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) led by the Managing Director, Senator Gbenga Ashaya to the site of the recently demolished building in Guzape District which was pulled down for obstructing a road alignment on the ongoing by-pass to the Abuja- Keffi axis.

STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON FLOODING IN THE FCT.

PRESS RELEASE :
FCDA AND FCT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) RESOLVE TO CONFRONT FLOODING IN THE TERRITORY

The FCT Administration has identified illegal developments which constrict/block waterways as responsible for the flooding in some parts of the city such as Lokogoma, Dogongada, Trademore and Efab Estates after a 4-hours down pour which occurred on Wednesday and has reinforced its determination not to allow anybody no matter how highly placed to build with impunity in the territory, as the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has directed the immediate removal of such structures.

The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad made the declaration while receiving the management of the FCT Emergency Management Agency led by its Director-General, Mallam Abbas Idriss on a courtesy visit in his office.

The Executive Secretary stated that the FCT Minister was concerned about the re-emergence of illegal construction of properties on waterways and that the FCT Administration will not fold its arms nor sit back and allow the loss of lives and properties by innocent residents and therefore would be ready to meet the owners of such illegal properties in court if need be. In his words, “What is happening in the city should serve as enough warning to everybody concerning NIMET’s 2022 prediction of the intensity of the levels of rains that is expected this raining session. Therefore, the Honourable Minister of the FCT Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has directed that every constriction on waterways must be removed and anyone who is aggrieved should go to court and we will be ready to meet them there”.
The Executive Secretary said that most of these illegal constructions found to have constricted and blocked waterways which were previously removed sometime in 2019 due to the flooding which occurred at that time, leading to the death of a Director with the Judiciary Service Commission are fast finding their way back, hinted that a meeting of relevant Departments and Agencies of the FCT would soon be convened to assess and reinforce earlier resolutions on the issue of flooding in the city.

He further revealed that the FCT Administration was also considering the award of contract for the full development of the Ring Road II (RR II) which will involve the replacement of the present box culverts with about 6Nos bridges as part of a permanent Solution to the reoccurring flooding around Lokogoma and Galadamawa roundabout.

Earlier, the Director-General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Mallam Abbas Idriss had stated that the advent of the rains which NIMET has forecasted to actually commence from the 14th of May 2022, as well as the flooding in some parts of the city even before that date calls for the need for urgent collaboration between the Agency and relevant stakeholders to ensure synergy and coordinated response before things get out of hand.

The Director-General who traced the situation of flooding in the city to urbanization which has given rise to such infractions as building on flood plains and diversion of river courses by some Estate developers appealed to the FCDA as the custodian of the Abuja Master plan to join hands with his Agency by providing the necessary backing to forestall the activities of illegal developers who carry out their activities without recourse to the effect of climatic changes.

While pledging their commitment to collaborate in the area of education and public enlightenment, the two organizations also appealed to residents especially motorists to be patient whenever it rains for it to subside especially whenever the roads are flooded in order to avoid unnecessary loss of lives which the Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello was not happy about.


Richard A. Nduul

Head, Public Relations/Information, FCDA.

JUAC BEST STAFF OF THE YEAR ABUJA(FCDA).

Tpl Moses Jayeola
Asa, a chief
Town planning
officer with the
Department of
Urban and Regional
planning FCDA
wins JUAC best
staft of the year
award in Abuja
weekend. The
recipient thanked
the organisers for
the recognition
and pledged
to continue to
put his best for
the upliftment
and good of the
organization.

COURTESY VISIT TO THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY BY THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF BUILDING.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad (5th from right) plays host to a delegation from the Nigerian Institute of Building, North-East Zone, on a courtesy visit to his office.

NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS VISIT TO THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad receiving a souvenir from the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Asefon Sunday Dayo who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary in his office.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY INSPECTS LOWER USMAN DAM-GURARA ROAD DUALIZATION

COURTESY VISIT TO THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY BY THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF BUILDING.

The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad (5th from right) plays host to a delegation from the Nigerian Institute of Building, North-East Zone, on a courtesy visit to his office.

Executive Secretary Receives Amb Splendour Joe King of FCT Children’s Parliament.
The Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad has played host to the FCT National Representative at the Federal Capital Territory Children's
Parliament, Amb Splendour Joe King who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Amb Splendour Joe King who briefed the Executive Secretary on their activities, solicited his support and invited him to a Peace Dinner Scheduled to hold on Tuesday May 24th, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
While putting on a special apron from his visitor, the Executive Secretary identified with their activities and affirmed his support for the FCT Children's Parliament, saying "I, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad, the Executive Secretary of FCDA,identify with all the vision and mission of Children's Parliament and their activities, especially of the Ambassador herself, the
Speaker of the Parliament, Amb Splendour Joe King and we identify with the peace initiative and we are in total support of these activities, to
the glory of God and to the betterment of FCT residents and the nation at large."

DEVELOPING ABUJA THOUGH CHALLENGING, WE’LL SUPPORT SISTER ORGANIZATIONS – EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.

The Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad has said despite the huge financial challenges associated with the planning and development of Abuja, particularly the provision of electrical engineering infrastructure, the FCDA would continue to support all sister organizations involved in the development of the city.

The Executive Secretary stated this when he received in audience the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Engr. Sanusi Garba who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to FCDA.

He assured his guests of FCDA’s continual support to all sister organizations, saying, “I want to assure you that as far as we are concerned, we are in strong partnership, we are in strong alliances and we will do everything possible. It does not apply to NERC alone as we take into cognizance, the need to support any sister organization because we are laying the cost, like you said, a collateral, we want you to regulate us very well”.

Earlier, Engr. Sanusi Garba appreciated the magnanimity of the FCDA for the approval granted his commission to develop an adjoining piece of land for a temporary Staff Car Park and for another approval for the development of a temporary access road to the Commission.

He said, “we want to thank the Executive Secretary and all the management staff for all the work you have been doing for the good of the FCT and also for supporting the NERC. We thank you for the cooperation we have received from the FCDA since we moved to our Head office in 2018”.

He assured that his commission would continue to partner the FCDA in its developmental efforts. “We want to thank you for supporting another government agency and on our part, we will continue to work with you on any area that we can cooperate in the service of Nigeria”, he stated.