ABUJA—The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to ensure prompt execution of projects and procurement processes.
Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Emmanuel Jime, who stated this when he led other committee members on an oversight visit to the Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, decried the slow pace of project execution in FCT, particularly in the satellite towns.
The committee stated that the FCT Administration needed to justify the appropriation of the 2012 budget for mass housing scheme within the territory before the execution of the 2013 appropriation.
Committee members also noted the exorbitant cost of securing decent accommodation in Abuja, and charged the Minister of State to put mechanisms in place to ensure that the developers delivered on the project.
The Committee chairman said: “We will increase our level of oversight functions and visit to ensure that monies budgeted for projects every year are adequately utilised,”
Responding, the Minister, Olujumoke Akinjide, said FCTA would soon commence process of relocation of Nyanya Labour Camp.
She said adequate financial provision had been made in the recently approved FCT budget for take off of the project.
Olajumoke said: “A large expanse has been provided at Gidan daya, along Jikwoyi-Karsh road for the relocation of the 7,000 households presently inhabiting the camp.
“The camp which was supposed to be a temporary abode has remained on ground for 35 years with the attendant appalling condition of the houses.
“The relocation becomes necessary as international organisations like Habitat and the USA has certified the camp as unfit for habitation,” she said.
In same vein, the minister informed the House members that the FCT administration had also budgeted for funds in the 2013 budget for implementation of its affordable mass housing scheme at Mamusa and Wasa districts in the territory.
She said: “The in-house infrastructural design, technical and financial bid has been concluded for the Mamusa district.”
She further sought the support of the committee for the Satellite Town Development Agency which was resuscitated in 2011 for rapid development of the satellite towns.
According to her, the first 35 years of the FCT was city-centric but the next 35 years should be the period of development of the satellite town.
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