Tinubu Appoints Mandate Secretaries for FCTA

* As Wike vows to redeem N34bn ground rents debt

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mandate Secretaries for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The FCT Director of Press, Anthony Ogunleye, said in a statement on Tuesday that the swearing-in ceremony will take place on September 12, 2023 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja at 12 noon prompt.

The appointment was also sequel to the vow Tuesday by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to collect over N34 billion ground rents owed the FCT Administration. 

In the statement by Ogunleye, the newly appointed Mandate Secretaries are Mr. Bitrus L. Garki, Secretary, Area Council Services Secretariat; Lawan Kolo Geidam, Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat; Mr. Danlami Ihayyo, Secretary, Education; Dr. Adedolapo A. Fasawe, Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat; Salman Dako, Secretary, Legal Services Secretariat; Chinedum Elechi, Secretary, Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and PPP; Uboku Tom Nyah, Secretary, Transportation Secretariat and Alhaji Muntari Abdulkadir, Secretary, Social Development Secretariat.

Meanwhile, Wike has vowed to ensure the redemption of the debt owed the FCT Administration.

He made this vow while speaking to members of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee Investigating the Failure of Mass Transportation in Nigeria, during a working visit to his office.

Wike warned allottees owing the administration ground rents to either pay or have their property revoked and reallocated to those who could pay. 

“I have calculated the debt of non-payment of ground rent, which is about N34 billion and I am going to collect all of those back. I don’t care all I want is for the rent to be paid.

“We will be publishing on Thursday for all those who are meant to pay their ground rent. They will be given the grace of two weeks to pay. 

“Whoever doesn’t pay, I’ll revoke it and give it to whoever will pay so that the necessary services will be rendered. People want to live in a beautiful city but don’t want to pay their due which is impossible,” Wike threatened.

He said that he would tie projects to this IGR so that contractors would be paid yearly and projects would no more be abandoned. 

Referencing why Lagos was succeeding in public transportation while Abuja was backsliding, Wike noted that Lagos was a state while “FCT is like a State”, stressing that budgetary provision for the FCT was poor. 

“Our budgeting system is too poor…so how will it work? We’ll require your help too. Thank God I am the one to supervise this year’s budget. We will come to you, please don’t pursue us,” he appealed.

On the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO), he said: “The truth of the matter is that, I’m gonna overhaul the entire system.”

He lamented that AUMTCO buses were been loaned out for other uses without maintenance because “people think that government business is not their business, but where you work should be your concern”. 

Hinting at the formation of a cabinet next week for people to take charge of the affairs, Wike stated that: “We have the capacity and we will work with what you give.”

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee, Afam Victor Ogene, stated that his committee visited the minister to find solutions to the epileptic mass transportation in the country and FCT after over N16 billion had been put into it during Sure-P. 

He described their findings at Abuja Light Rail as a mirage, saying Abuja, which used to be dark at night, suddenly is no more as they could see fictional streetlight.

“Many people are saying Wike is this, Wike is that, but we need more of Wike,” Ogene said.