Abuja May Soon Become Mega Slums, Says Minister

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam
Muhammad Bello, has warned that the capital city may become one
‘big mega slum” except adequate funding is provided for its
development.

Bello spoke at the second day of the National Public Hearing on
Review of the 1999 Constitution organised by the Senate on Thursday
in Abuja

According to him, 41 years after creation, Abuja is still a work
in progress because of lack of funding.

Further buttressing his point, the Minister noted that as
presently constituted, FCT is made of 196 districts, which included
96 districts in the federal capital city itself and others
developed in the other area councils.

According to him, since the establishment of the FCT in 1976,
only 10 districts have been fully developed with infrastructure, 12
districts partially developed and 70 districts undeveloped.

“The 104 districts in the Area Councils which make up the other
part of the FCT are yet to be developed, yet every day, whoever
comes to Abuja never goes back because it is home for all,” Bello
said.

He also said it was very important to propose that the
constitution should recognize and define “an adequate and
unhindered funding purse for the federal capital city.

“Because it is a place carved out 41 years ago for all of us and
it is home for all of us, where nobody will say he is a citizen or
non-citizen.

“But funding is a big challenge and this is so because, up till
now, the city, even 41 years after creation, is a work in
progress,” the minister said.

The minister further said that if a very viable funding option
was not constitutionally provided for the FCT in time to come,
“Abuja will just become one mega slum.

“So, it is very important that we take this thing into
consideration.

“Abuja, the federal capital city, is still essentially a work in
progress and a lot more could have been achieved if and only if a
robust and well structured funding arrangement had been established
and guaranteed by the constitution.”

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, said
the country had been consistently reminded that there were flaws in
the constitution.

“There is a deep concern among legislators and other
stakeholders, just as there are divergent opinions on what we
should do to remedy it.”

He noted that agitations were democratic expressions and
indications of dissatisfaction with the extant constitution.

Lawan said that the final product of the exercise would be
shaped by the voices of citizens as harnessed from the
hearings.

He added that regardless, the constitution review alone would
not engender a successful democracy without a concomitant shift in
attitude and political will.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam
Muhammad Bello, has warned that the capital city may become one
‘big mega slum” except adequate funding is provided for its
development.

Bello spoke at the second day of the National Public Hearing on
Review of the 1999 Constitution organised by the Senate on Thursday
in Abuja

According to him, 41 years after creation, Abuja is still a work
in progress because of lack of funding.

Further buttressing his point, the Minister noted that as
presently constituted, FCT is made of 196 districts, which included
96 districts in the federal capital city itself and others
developed in the other area councils.

According to him, since the establishment of the FCT in 1976,
only 10 districts have been fully developed with infrastructure, 12
districts partially developed and 70 districts undeveloped.

“The 104 districts in the Area Councils which make up the other
part of the FCT are yet to be developed, yet every day, whoever
comes to Abuja never goes back because it is home for all,” Bello
said.

He also said it was very important to propose that the
constitution should recognize and define “an adequate and
unhindered funding purse for the federal capital city.

“Because it is a place carved out 41 years ago for all of us and
it is home for all of us, where nobody will say he is a citizen or
non-citizen.

“But funding is a big challenge and this is so because, up till
now, the city, even 41 years after creation, is a work in
progress,” the minister said.

The minister further said that if a very viable funding option
was not constitutionally provided for the FCT in time to come,
“Abuja will just become one mega slum.

“So, it is very important that we take this thing into
consideration.

“Abuja, the federal capital city, is still essentially a work in
progress and a lot more could have been achieved if and only if a
robust and well structured funding arrangement had been established
and guaranteed by the constitution.”

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, said
the country had been consistently reminded that there were flaws in
the constitution.

“There is a deep concern among legislators and other
stakeholders, just as there are divergent opinions on what we
should do to remedy it.”

He noted that agitations were democratic expressions and
indications of dissatisfaction with the extant constitution.

Lawan said that the final product of the exercise would be
shaped by the voices of citizens as harnessed from the
hearings.

He added that regardless, the constitution review alone would
not engender a successful democracy without a concomitant shift in
attitude and political will.