FCTA to partner investors on infrastructure dev’t- Bello

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, has said that the authority henceforth would partner infrastructure developers in ensuring that development in the territory is fast-tracked to meet up with the peoples need.

The minister said this while lamenting the cost of Government funding infrastructural development in the Federal Capital Territory, saying his administration would be compelled to seek alternative funding as the huge cost was slowing the pace of work in meeting the demands of infrastructure, arising from the upsurge of population in the nation’s capital.

The Minister, who disclosed this recently when he inspected on going infrastructure works at Guzape and Jahi districts, said that the situation has hampered the provision of required infrastructure in the territory.

While calling on critical stakeholders to get more involved in infrastructural development funding, especially those that have been given allocation at different locations for mass housing development, Bello said that government can no longer bear the cost alone.

“The cost of infrastructural development in FCT is becoming too much, as you can see that people who were allocated lands 15 years ago have not developed their plots, because they are waiting for government to provide roads and other basic amenities.

“We are calling on stakeholders to begin to get more involved in the development as government alone cannot fund it. It is coming to a stage where every plot will have to contribute to the demands of infrastructure.

We have not really decided on that, but that may be the alternative we shall be considering”, he said.

According to him, the reoccurring problem has inadvertently slowed down the effort to further expand the Federal Capital City (FCC) in line with the Federal Government policy on the territory.

He therefore called for intervention from estate developers and other critical stakeholders to support government to facilitate the provision of such basic facilities.

Earlier, Engineer Ben Simon, Chief Engineer, Gilmor Nigeria Ltd, the construction company handling the projects, told the Minister that despite zero allocation for the projects in 2016, the company has never stopped work on the site.

He however admitted that they have slowed down the pace of work at the Guzape site, which was supposed to be completed within 12-13 months, but due to some hitches, it is not possible.

He therefore assured that with adequate funding, the company will double works to ensure speedy and efficient execution the project.

Idu Jude, Abuja