By Matthew Denis
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved the immediate renovation, rehabilitation and upgrading of all 14 general hospitals in the territory, including the provision of new medical equipment, diagnostic facilities and theatre upgrades.
The FCT Executive Council also approved the resumption of work on the long-abandoned Utako General Hospital, with the intervention covering its construction, equipping and staffing.
The decisions were among the major resolutions reached at the 19th meeting of the FCT Executive Council, presided over by the Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, and attended by the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Hon. Chidi Amadi, said the council considered 20 memoranda from various secretariats, departments and agencies.
He said the resolutions were aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and improving public services across the nation’s capital.
Giving details of the health-sector decisions, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Secretariat and Environmental Services, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the council approved the immediate commencement of the renovation, rehabilitation and upgrading of the 14 general hospitals.
She said the programme would include the procurement of new equipment such as X-ray machines and diagnostic materials, as well as the upgrading of hospital theatres.
Fasawe disclosed that Wike had also directed the immediate resumption of work on the Utako General Hospital, which had been abandoned for several years.
According to her, the administration would ensure that the facility was completed, equipped and adequately staffed to provide healthcare services to residents.
She said the measures were expected to improve access to quality, affordable and efficient healthcare services across the FCT.
Fasawe added that the administration had continued to meet its financial obligations to health insurance providers and Health Maintenance Organisations through the payment of premiums and capitation.
The council also approved the digitalisation of the FCT High Court, covering about 67 courtrooms across its various judicial divisions.
The General Counsel, Mr Salman Dako, said the project would introduce electronic court recording and case-management systems to replace manual recording and physical filing of cases.
He said the initiative was designed to address challenges associated with handwritten records and manual documentation.
Dako said implementation was expected to commence immediately, with noticeable improvements targeted within two weeks.
Education Gets Examination Materials
The Education Secretariat also secured approval for two contracts for the provision of examination materials for pupils and students in primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools across the FCT.
The Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr Danlami Hayyo, said the approval was part of efforts to consolidate the administration’s transformation of public schools through renovation, rehabilitation, improved classroom facilities and provision of instructional materials.
Hayyo said improvements in public school infrastructure had encouraged some parents to transfer their children from private schools to public schools.
He added that the provision of examination materials would facilitate the smooth conduct of examinations in FCT public schools.
N5.7bn Power Project Approved for Bwari
The Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) also secured approval for a N5.703 billion contract for the construction of a 33KVA power supply line from Dawaki to Tukulo and surrounding communities in Bwari Area Council.
The Coordinator of STDD, Hon. Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, said the contract was awarded to CGC Nigeria Limited and would be completed within eight months.
The council also ratified two previously completed and commissioned road projects in the satellite towns.
They are the Gaba-Tukulo Road and two-span river bridge in Bwari Area Council, awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited at N8.219 billion, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT.
The second is the rehabilitation of the Paikon Kore-Ibuwa Road in Gwagwalada Area Council, also awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited at N8.890 billion, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT.
Zulkiflu said both projects had a 12-month completion period and had already been completed and commissioned.
Land Administration Gets ICT Upgrade
The Department of Land Administration secured approval for three memoranda aimed at improving its operations and strengthening revenue collection.
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said the council approved the procurement of utility vehicles and an integrated ICT infrastructure and related accessories for the department.
The ICT upgrade would include desktop computers, workstations, display screens, scanners, network switches, fibre-optic connections, data-centre servers, monitoring systems and cooling systems.
The council also ratified the award of a contract for the printing of customised revenue receipt booklets.
Nwankwoeze said the redesigned receipts would contain enhanced security features to prevent alterations and fraudulent practices in the land revenue collection system.
He said the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company would handle the production of the new receipts.
AMMC Moves Against Flooding, Blocked Waterways
The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) secured approval for six memoranda, five of which were for ratification and one for fresh approval.
The Overseeing Coordinator of AMMC, Mrs Mary Amina Ahmadu, said the approvals would facilitate maintenance works across the capital, particularly in waterways and other areas affected by environmental challenges.
She attributed blocked waterways and flooding in parts of the FCT partly to indiscriminate refuse dumping, stressing the need for sustained maintenance and proper environmental management.
FCT Water Board Gets Approval for Water Treatment Chemicals
The FCT Water Board also secured approval for two memoranda, including the supply of powdered chlorine, also known as high-test hypochlorite (HTH), for water treatment.
The Acting General Manager of the Water Board, Mrs Chinyere Elechi, said the chemical was essential for disinfecting water and eliminating pathogenic microorganisms before distribution to consumers.
She stressed that proper water treatment was necessary to prevent waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
The second memorandum approved by the council concerned the renewal of insurance for facilities associated with the Lower Usman Dam Treatment Plant.
FCT Approves New Police Station for Wasa
The council also approved the construction of a new Divisional Police Station at the Wasa Informal Sector ahead of the planned relocation of Apo mechanics and artisans to the area.
The Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, said the contract, approved at Tuesday’s meeting, had a six-month delivery timeline.
Gwary said the project followed Wike’s directive to provide adequate security for the Wasa sector and surrounding communities as economic activities increase in the area.
He said the Wasa project formed part of the administration’s broader security initiative aimed at bringing policing closer to rural and developing communities across the FCT.
According to him, the administration plans to construct two divisional police stations in each of the six area councils.
He disclosed that two stations at Ushafa and Saburi had already been completed, furnished and handed over, with each facility also having furnished six-man staff quarters.
The resolutions of the 19th FCT Executive Council meeting covered health, education, justice, land administration, power, security, environmental management and water supply, reflecting the administration’s ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and public services across the Federal Capital Territory
