The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved the immediate renovation, rehabilitation and upgrading of all 14 general hospitals in the territory. Work will also resume on the long-abandoned Utako General Hospital.
The decisions were among the resolutions of the 19th meeting of the FCT Executive Council, presided over by the Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike. The Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, also attended.
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.
“The submissions were critical to the continued infrastructure development and improvement of public services in the nation’s capital,” Amadi said.
Health
The Mandate Secretary, Health Secretariat and Environmental Services, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the council approved the immediate start of renovation, rehabilitation and upgrading of all general hospitals in the FCT.
She said the intervention would cover new equipment, including X-ray machines and diagnostic materials, as well as upgrades to hospital theatres.
Fasawe disclosed that Wike had directed the commencement of work on the Utako General Hospital, which had remained abandoned for years. She said the intervention would cover the construction, equipping and staffing of the facility.
“The measures are expected to strengthen the availability of quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services for residents of the FCT,” she said.
She 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.
Judiciary
The council also approved the digitalisation of the FCT High Court, covering about 67 courtrooms across its judicial divisions.
The General Counsel, Mr Salman Dako, said the project would introduce electronic court recording and case-management systems, replacing manual recording and physical filing of cases.
“The initiative will address challenges associated with manual documentation and handwritten records,” Dako said, adding that implementation would begin immediately, with noticeable improvements targeted within two weeks.
Education
The Education Secretariat 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 ongoing transformation of public schools through renovation, rehabilitation, improved classroom facilities and provision of instructional materials.
Hayyo said the improvement in infrastructure had encouraged some parents to transfer their children from private schools to public schools. He added that the provision of examination materials would ensure that examinations were conducted smoothly.
Power and Roads
The Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) secured approval for a N5.703 billion contract for the construction of a 33KVA power supply line from Dawaki to Tukulo and surrounding villages in Bwari Area Council.
The STDD Coordinator, Hon. Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, said the project was awarded to CGC Nigeria Limited and would be completed within eight months.
The council also ratified two previously completed and commissioned road projects. They are the Gaba-Tukulo Road and two-span river bridge in Bwari Area Council, awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited for N8.219 billion, and the rehabilitation of the Paikon Kore-Ibuwa Road in Gwagwalada Area Council, awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited at N8.890 billion. Both sums are 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
The Department of Land Administration secured approval for three memoranda to improve its operations and strengthen revenue collection.
The Director, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said the council approved the procurement of utility vehicles and an integrated ICT infrastructure for the department. The ICT upgrade includes 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 customised revenue receipt booklets. Nwankwoeze said the redesigned receipts would carry enhanced security features to prevent alterations and fraudulent practices in land revenue collection.
The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, which produces the country’s currency, will print the new receipts.
Environment and Water
The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) secured approval for six memoranda, five for ratification and one for fresh approval.
The Overseeing Coordinator, 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 said indiscriminate dumping of refuse had contributed to blocked waterways and flooding in parts of the FCT, stressing the need for sustained maintenance.
The FCT Water Board secured approval for two memoranda, including the supply of powdered chlorine, known as high-test hypochlorite (HTH), for water treatment.
The Acting General Manager, Mrs Chinyere Elechi, said the chemical was essential for disinfecting water and eliminating pathogenic microorganisms before distribution. She said adequate treatment was necessary to prevent waterborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
The second memorandum concerned the renewal of insurance for facilities at the Lower Usman Dam Treatment Plant.
Security
The Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, said the council 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 contract has a six-month delivery timeline.
Gwary said the project followed the Minister’s directive to provide adequate security for the sector and surrounding communities as economic activities increase.
He said the Wasa project is part of Wike’s broader security initiative to bring policing closer to rural and developing communities. The administration plans to build two divisional police stations in each of the six area councils, he added, noting that the stations at Ushafa and Saburi have been completed, furnished and handed over, each with a furnished six-man staff quarters.
The decisions of the 19th FCT Executive Council meeting cut across health, education, justice, land administration, power, environmental management and water supply, as the administration intensifies efforts to improve infrastructure and public services across the Federal Capital Territory.
