FCT Adminstration To Establish SUYA Centre In Abuja

The Minister of the FCT Senator Bala Mohammed has stated that his Administration was warming up to establish "suya" centre with a view to ensuring that all "suya" sellers operate in one place. He also said the situation was part of the measures to address security concerns in the city.

The Minister made this disclosure while defending the budget of his Ministry before the Senate Committee on FCT in Abuja.

Earlier, the FCT minister had told the committee that FCTA required N470.3 billion for payment and completion of 17 key projects in the National Priority Budget. According to Mohammed, FCT 2014 Budget was given a budget ceiling of N30.4 billion, which he said was inadequate for FCTA.

"The paltry sum of N30.4 billion budget ceiling given to the FCT by the Budget Office, may not allow the FCT operate at the required capacity, let alone providing world class infrastructure.

"Most of the 17 projects were to be rolled off by the year 2011. The implication of this ceiling is that these projects would either be underfunded or abandoned," Bala said.

He also said the FCTA was working hard to harness other options of generating revenue to enable it fulfil its strategic role of building a befitting federal capital city.

Of the N57 billion appropriated for FCT in 2013, the Minister said only N32.9 billion was leased, leaving an unreleased balance of N24 billion to date.

The minister who also observed that Abuja's population had risen to 5,000,000, expressed concerns over the continuous influx of people to the city, saying the situation portrays a serious security concern.

While disclosing that about 1,000 beggars were removed from the streets of Abuja recently

Meanwhile, the FCT minister has said that FCT Administration requires a total sum of N470,348,913,896.95 to pay and complete 17 key national projects in the nation's capital.
Mohammed stated this yesterday during a Budget Defence before the Senate Committee on FCT at the National Assembly, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

The Minister assured that, if well funded the FCTA would strive to facilitate and attain its goals of creating a city that would compare favourably with the best in the World.
He said: " The sum of N30.410 billion has been earmarked in the 2014 National Budget, which may not allow the FCT to operate optimally.

"The funding required for the provision of infrastructure and services in the FCT is enormous"
He also called on the National Assembly to assist in the quick passage of the FCT Property Tax bill where about N500 billion is expected to be generated annually to the coffers of the FCT Administration.

Mohammed also called on the National Assembly to pass the Bill for the establishment of the FCT Board of Internal Revenue to enable the Administration block all revenue leakages and pay development partners for services rendered.

In a related development, the Minister said that about 100,000 destitute and beggars were repatriated to their various states of origin but returned to Abuja as soon as they were dropped.

Speaking on the Budget, the members of the Senate Committee on FCT decried inadequate budgetary allocation to the Federal Capital City.

They commended the Minister for the unprecedented opening up of new districts in the Federal Capital City; stressing that “no Minister of the FCT has succeeded in opening up new districts than Senator Bala Mohammed”.

Senator Smart Adeyemi added; “it seems the Federal Government is no more interested in funding the Abuja project considering the paltry sum of N30.410 billion earmarked this fiscal year”.