Some natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday staged a protest against the alleged incompetence of the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello.
According to them, the minister has wasted six years in office.
The protesters blocked the Minister’s gate located at FCDA Headquarters, Area 11 and demanded the overall improvement in the security architecture of the territory.
The protesters also demanded the strengthening of the FCT Community Policing Programme to enhance intelligence gathering in communities and address the incessant security challenges facing the residents.
A statement signed by the Co- Conveners, Comrade Ahmadu Yunusa and Comrade Akoshile Mukhtar noted that there was a decline in governance and quality of service delivery in FCT which has manifested into a myriad of socio-economic issues such as; rise in insecurity, infrastructural deficit, drop in the quality of education and health service delivery, ineffective transport system, and increase in the number of ungoverned spaces in the FCT.
The protesters described the negative trend as worrisome affecting the socio-economic condition of FCT residents and capable of spreading hardship.
The statement read, “Gradually, the situation of FCT is beginning to resemble communities with the absence of a government. The inability of the management of the FCTA to actively engage stakeholders to find lasting solutions to some of these challenges is one of the factors hindering effective service delivery in FCT.
“It is against this background that the FCT Youth Stakeholder’s Forum has decided to make the following demands to the administration as viable solutions to some of the identified challenges:
“The Forum demands the overhaul of the FCT security architecture to ensure that the FCT security system is given the appropriate attention it requires to perform effectively and efficiently.
“The Forum demand the strengthening of the FCT Community Policing Programme to enhance intelligence gathering in communities and address the incessant security challenges facing FCT residents.
“The Forum demand the construction or rehabilitation of major roads in communities across the FCT to ensure ease of access to residents and other road users within those communities.
The protesters also called for the immediate operation of Abuja University of Science and Technology for creating jobs for people and access to tertiary education for more Nigerians.
Others are: improve funding for the FCT education and health sector to enhance the quality of education and health service delivery in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Immediate review of the FCT masterplan and land use act to capture emerging communities and extend development projects to those communities.
“FCT Transport System should be better managed to ensure ease of movement for FCT residents and other transport service users.
“Implementation of FCT Civil Service Act to ensure career progression and adequate remuneration of Civil Servants in the Federal Capital Territory and all-inclusive government in FCT to ensure that Young people, Women and People with Disability are adequately represented.”
