Federal Capital Territory Administration Permanent Secretary Calls for the Immediate Development and Adoption of a National Policy for the Sustainable Development of Abuja

Rising from a 4 hour FCT Operations Briefing Session during the week, the permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Goke Adegoroye, OON, called for the immediate development and adoption of a National Policy for the Sustainable Development of Abuja. This came after he had presided over the monthly Operations Briefing Session where 21 Directors with operational responsibilities for the key mandates of the FCTA presented for the period 16th February- 21st March, 2010, their respective Activities/Tasks and Achievements; Challenges and Practical Solutions Deployed; and Vision for Enhancing Service Delivery.

He said that while Abuja is trying to live up to its Founding Fathers expectation of being the Centre of Unity, it is however setting records as perhaps the fastest growing city in the world. He pointed out that Abuja’s population growth is 95% influx based.

The permanent Secretary said that, as the Federal Capital City, the legitimate businesses of Abuja revolve around government bureaucracy, the legislature and the judiciary; but that in contrast to other Federal Capital cities of the world like Canberra, Pretoria etc. Abuja is also becoming a haven for such social pressure exerting populations like School drop-outs and graduates in search of jobs; petty traders looking for new outlets; displaced persons fleeing from ethno-religious hot spot States; retirees awaiting pensions; drug barons; robbers; political thugs as well as 419ers dropping names of political big wigs to prey on innocent citizens.

Dr Adegoroye said that at this rate of growth and influx population mix, it will not take long for Abuja to get to the level of the mega city problems we ran away in Lagos.

He said that the solution lies beyond what FCTA alone can do, as a Territorial or State policy would be too restrictive to solve the problems; and that what is needed is holistic approach through a National Policy that would address the various issues interplaying at several fronts; by:

i)                 tackling at source the socio economic, political and ethno-religious problems that make the home bases of the in fluxing populations non-conducive for them to earn their livelihood and live peaceably;

ii)              Embarking on vision-inspired development initiatives that will enable    Abuja not only to keep pace with but to maintain the sanity associated with similar relocated Capital Cities in the world; and

iii)            Increasing and sustaining the enforcement strategies that will compel residents of Abuja to imbibe and abide by globally cherished city culture.

He therefore advised all top management staff to bear these elements in mind coming up with and executing programmes for addressing the   mandates of their various Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs), and that as soon as new Ministers are  sworn-in , the immediate challenge he would urge the incoming Minister of the FCT to lead in confronting, would be the development of a National Policy for the Sustainable Development of Abuja.