Wike: FCTA Not Getting Bad Media Because of Adverts

•Sets up investigative panel over woman’s death

•Promises to set up directorate of women affairs in Abuja

Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said the drastic reduction in negative media reportage about the FCT administration was because the media houses have been handsomely rewarded with advert windfall.

He made the claim in a trending video that was recorded during his meeting with officers of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), who were summoned to appeal to the union leaders against embarking on strike over unpaid salary arrears and non-implementation of released promotion letters.

The minister, whose remarks appeared to be cheeky, was referencing the voluminous advertisements placed in some national newspapers by the FCTA, listing the names of whose land titles were revoked for defaulting in the payment of ground rent to the administration from their property located in some upscale parts of the nation’s capital.

“I thank you all. I want to thank the press for your reporting. I have not found any negative reports these days, probably because most of the media houses are publishing adverts and money is coming in; and most of them are happy. Those of you who have not got should go into fasting that more things should come out so that we can patronise all the media houses. Frankly speaking, I want to thank you for the support you are giving to this administration,” Wike said.

Meanwhile the minister has constituted  a nine-man independent and investigative panel to unravel the death of 33 year old Ms. Greatness Tolulope Olorunfemi.

A statement by Badiru Salisu Yakassi, on behalf of the Mandate Secretary, FCT Health Service & Environment Secretariat, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, said the panel consisted of the Nigerian Medical Association, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria as well as Medical Women Association of Nigeria.

Others on the panel were the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Association of Resident Doctors, the Association of Pathologists of Nigeria, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, General Counsel, FCTA and the Health Services Department (as the Secretariat).

Wike expressed condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, while also expressing his unwavering commitment to assuring that the investigation would be conducted with the utmost transparency, integrity and professionalism.

The statement disclosed that the investigative panel would be inaugurated on Thursday, 5th of October, 2023 at the health and environment secretariat, Area 11, Abuja

“The Secretariat appreciates the patience and understanding of the people, and also promises that the findings of the panel will be made available to the public as soon as it’s concluded,” the statement said.

Miss Olorunfemi was said to have died after she was stabbed and pushed out of a car by criminals operating ‘one-chance’.

It was also alleged that medical personnel at Maitama General Hospital declined to attend to her for lack of police report, causing her to bleed to death. The police have already commenced investigation into her death.

In a related development, Wike, has canvassed for the cooperation of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in his plan to set up a directorate for women affairs in the FCT.

Speaking during a visit to Mrs. Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, in the company of FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmood, he said the collaboration was necessary “in view of the fact that there is no directorate for women affairs in the FCT.

“We want to collaborate with her on how to take care of women, and work with her to ensure that the Renewed hope agenda is achieved. The FCT wants to play its own role in that agenda.”

While seeking other areas of collaboration, Wike expressed the readiness of his administration to partner the office of the first lady in the drive to actualise the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In her speech, Tinubu hailed the minister for placing premium on women inclusion, saying the efforts by the FCT administration to also develop agriculture, one of the priority areas for the Renewed Hope Initiative, was a cheering development with a lot of prospects to be exploited.

According to her, “Just this morning I saw a newsflash that the FCT Minister is collaborating with Israel on agriculture and I said I would love to discuss agriculture with the honorable minister.

“Although women and children are what we do, but it is not just women. We went as far as Belarus to study what they are doing. They have so much to offer in different areas and they are willing to assist, going as far as offering us scholarships at the Renewed Hope Initiative.

“What you have done today has really brought a lot of ease to our work because once you have the directorate there, we would know how to reach them. That is why I think that God has a hand in what we are doing. You have really lightened my burden.”

She stressed that a broad-based implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda “must not only include strategic development of the agricultural sector, but must also recognise the role of women and create an atmosphere that empowers them.”