President Goodluck Jonathan recently approved the appointment of new secretaries for the mandate secretariats of the FCT administration. The secretaries have since assumed office. CATHERINE AGBO writes on the challenges before them
When the federal government, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced the office of mandate secretaries in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the aim was to divest the amount of power the president held as the administrator of the FCT.
The motive was to put people directly in charge of critical areas where they will relate and connect directly with the people and the challenges confronting the development of Abuja.
About a fortnight ago, President Goodluck Jonathan approved the appointment of six new mandate secretaries for the secretariats and a new coordinator for the Abuja Metropolitan Management council (AMMC).
The new secretaries who were sworn-in by the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, were charged with a mandate to coordinate the affairs of the secretariats for effective service delivery to the residents of the FCT.
Those sworn in were Alhaji Kabiru Usman who is to take charge of the Education Secretariat; Dr. Onakomaiya Ademola for Health and Human Services Secretariat and Mrs. Blessing Onuh, in charge of the Social Development Secretariat.
Others are Engr. Jonathan Achara (Transportation Secretariat); Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim (Area Council Services Secretariat) and Mrs. Olvadi Madayi (Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat).
Also sworn-in was the coordinator AMMC, Architect Reuben Okoya.
In his inauguration address, the minister told the newly constituted cabinet to keep track with president Jonathan’s transformation agenda of economic reliance, prosperity, infrastructural development and good governance in the FCT.
He charged them to buckle up and brace up to the new challenge before them as government business was considered serious business in the FCT, saying, “We are running a city with daily influx of people where the best services are required 24 hours with expectations that we keep up with this pace,” and added that they should set aside all distractions as the days of politicking were over.
In her maiden interactive session with the secretaries under the supervision of her office, the FCT minister of state, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide charged them to work as a team with a view to achieving success in the overall interest of the residents.
She said, “Transformation is no longer a slogan since it is measurable, it has brought into fore a new era of accountability where performance indicators would be used to assess records of efficiency or otherwise of all duty bearers”.
Beyond the fanfare of celebrations of making the list, as a popular saying goes, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” the secretaries have to settle down to the real task of developing the mega city, in line with the dream of its founding fathers.
A cross-section of residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP recently counseled the new secretaries to initiate programmes that would apart from develop the city, have direct impact on the lives of the citizens.
Abuja, still a growing city, is saddled with a lot of challenges ranging from health, education, infrastructure, satellite towns development, traffic control and effective transportation system.
Agriculture
Hon. Olvadi Madayi is the secretary in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat. She holds a Higher National Diploma in Business Administration and Management from Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State.
As agriculture scribe, her efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the FCT is self sustaining in the area of food production and maintain its pride of place in agriculture.
A large majority of the Abuja natives are farmers who have the capacity to produce enough for the FCT and the whole country, considering the fertile land they exist on.
Timely provision of agricultural input such as fertilizers, improved crop varieties and herbicides at affordable rates would go a long way in ensuring that food availability.
Transportation
The transport sector is one of the most challenging sub-sectors in the FCT. This is primarily because of the chaotic transport system operated in the city.
The new transport secretary, Engr. Jonathan Achara, who has been re-appointed to the position, must ensure that a workable transport policy is put in place in the FCT, which must be citizen and operator friendly.
The secretariat must also look at the issue of road expansion and creation of additional roads in the city, as well as provision of adequate traffic control mechanism in the city.
A situation where a city like Abuja exists without traffic lights and other traffic markings is totally unacceptable.
Work on the Abuja Light Rail project must alos be fast tracked as this would help reduce the number of cars on the roads, thus reducing accidents and improving traffic.
Education
The new education secretary, Alhaji Kabir Usman, holds Master degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Ibadan.
A trained educationist who has serviced in different capacities in his state, Kebbi State, Usman must address the challenges of overcrowding in FCT schools, the problem of inadequate teachers and classrooms in FCT schools and second-grade schools in the FCT.
It is no longer news that schools in the FCT, especially at the basic education level are overcrowded because of the high influx of people to the FCT, just as people from neighbouring suburbs, come to the FCT to enjoy the free education.
The Universal Basic Education programme must be looked at closely to plug any loopholes militating aginst giving the children of the FCT, the best education possible.
Social Development
The social development secretariat, one of the most vast of all the secretariats is saddled with the responsibility of ridding the city of hawkers, beggars and all manner of destitution.
The secretariat also provides social welfare services and rehabilitation services for those in need of such services in the FCT.
With a Master of Sociology from the University of Abuja, the new secretary for social development, Mrs. Blessing Onuh, who was re-appointed to the position, is a ‘round peg in a round hole’ for the position.
Onuh who was popular for her advocacy and campaigns against the activities of commercial sex workers in the FCT must step up the campaign in her new appointment.
Other critical areas to be addressed in this area include sports and youth development, youth empowerment, vocational training and rehabilitation of destitute persons.
The secretary must work towards ensuring that the vocational and rehabilitation centres are habitable and the programmes are adequately funded, as this has been discovered to be the bane of the programmes.
Health
The health sector is one of the most challenging sectors as the importance of good health care delivery and healthy living in the society cannot be overemphasized.
This sector is bedivelled with a myriad of challenges including dearth or near absence or primary health care centres, inadequate hospitals, over-crowding in the hospitals, lack of bed space, inadequate personnel and operational vehicles for emergency services and general poor service delivery in the hospitals.
As health scribe, the new health secretary, Dr. Onakomaiya Ademola must rise up to the challenges.
Ademola who is a graduate in Public Health from University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom must approach the job of ensuring good health service delivery to the people with commitment.
Emphasis should be paid to primary health care as this would help check the influx of patients to secondary health institutions.
A goal of a primary health care centre for each village could be worked out in this regard.
Efforts must also be made to open up more district hospitals and employ more personnel for the existing ones, just as the provision of medical equipment must not be over looked.
Area council services
In his capacity as secretary, area council services secretariat, Mr. Yahaya Ibrahim, must ensure accountability in area council administration.
Area councils must be made to work as the majority of Abuja residents live in the satellite towns in the area councils.
Provision of roads and other infrastructure within the purview of the area councils must be strictly enforced as the area council is the level of government closest to the people.
Sanitation of the area councils must also be ensured as guarantee for good health.
AMMC
Arch. Reuben Okoya is the present coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC). He is currently undergoing his PhD programme in environmental management.
The AMMC has several departments under it including development control, urban affairs, parks and recreation and fire service.
As coordinator of the city management arm of the FCT administration, he must ensure that every department is up and doing in the provision of its duties and services, to avoid breakdown of services in the city.
Enforcement, especially in the area of development control must be taken seriously to avoid contentious demolition cases.
Approval of building plans which fall under the development control office must also be fast tracked as it has been discovered that plot owners sometimes wait over two years to get same.
The department must also work towards the provision of public conveniences in the city, one of the crucial infrastructure that has evaded the city.
Given the numerous challenges facing the nation’s capital especially in the area of provision of basic infrastructure, it is expected that the present administration would be true to the people and respond to their yearnings by providing succor in those critical areas.
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