… FCT Minister Urges NEPAD Nigeria Boss.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has requested the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Princess Gloria Akobundu to use the Federal Capital Territory as a model when considering sites for the many developmental initiatives which the Agency wishes to attract to the country.
Making the above request in Abuja, Tuesday, when the NEPAD Nigeria CEO paid him a courtesy call in his office, the Honourable Minister said the enthusiasm and energy which the NEPAD boss has invested in the pursuit of her 4-R Agenda of Repositioning, Rebranding, Relaunching and Realigning NEPAD with the vision of the NEPAD founding fathers and the Change mantra of the President Buhari Administration.
While promising to collaborate with NEPAD in the areas of infrastructure development, poverty eradication , women and youth empowerment, skills/acquisition and the development of other ingenious programmes that would make life easier for the people, including those at the grassroots who are usually forgotten in the scheme of things as was pointed out by the NEPAD CEO, Hon. Bello said the FCT under his leadership will do everything in its powers to make for the success of the development vision and agenda of NEPAD Nigeria.
Earlier, while presenting her address to the Honourable Minister, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Nigeria, Princess Akobundu called for synergy and partnership with her Organisation in order to deliver to the Nigerian people the many benefits that NEPAD Nigeria was working out for national development, using its regional office and the support of various Development Partners.
“As one of the critical stakeholders in our nation, I am reaching out to you and the Governors so that all our programmes and projects can receive the needed support to trickle down to the grassroots, from Local Government level down to the Wards and Units. We have programmes on youths and women development and empowerment, we have various skills acquisition programmes and projects that, if well supported by you, can employ thousands of our graduates and non-graduates alike. For instance, the See4All project and the Agric Hub and Green House projects are projects that would require about 10-15 Hectares of land to develop and achieve results; adding that with a joint technical committee of FCT and NEPAD Nigeria staff success would be sure.
Among those who accompanied the NEPAD CEO on the visit were the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the Agency, Alh. Abdukadir Ahmed, that of Programmes Development and Implementation, A.O Folayan, Special Adviser to the CEO and Chairman of the Economic Team, Prince (Dr.) Charles Onuoha as well as Alh. (Dr.) Sarki Wakil. Others include a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nelson Alapa and a host of many others.