FCTA TO LAUNCH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME SOON - MIN …LAUDS CORPS MEMBERS OVER WATER PROJECT IN RURAL COMMUNITY

Determined to ensure an even development in the rural communities of
the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Administration has revealed
that it will soon launch a Community Development Scheme.
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello dropped this hint Monday,
while commissioning a borehole project executed by some corps members
serving in the FCT as part of their Community Development efforts.
The corps members under the aegis of ‘Monday Environmental Sanitation
Community Development Service Group’, constructed a borehole at
Damgbam village, along the Airport Road; Abuja.
The Minister who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent
Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye restated the commitment of the FCT
Administration to open up the development of rural areas with basic
and adequate facilities to make life a lot easier for the rural
dwellers.
His words: “We in the FCT are preparing to launch what we call
Community Development Programme. Very soon, we are going to have
community development committees at the ward level, at the state level
and at the Area Council level. Our aim is to encourage communities to
engage in community development projects such as the project we are
commissioning today.”
According to him, “any community can come together, initiate a
project, and seek our assistance. This is how communities all over the
World develop. I want to encourage communities in the FCT where there
is no water, where there are no basic facilities to also encourage
government by initiating projects that are useful to their
communities”.
He reiterated that because of dwindling financial situation in the
country today, the Government will not be able to do everything and
that is why the FCT Administration appreciates this kind of community
project.
The Minister remarked that it is a thing of joy that young people are
coming forward to design projects for the benefit of the residents of
the FCT; adding, “we are particularly grateful for this water project
because as it is often said, water is life”.
Malam Bello stressed, “I very deeply appreciate the fact that the
young people are looking at these areas of needs and seeing what to do
about it. The decision by the monthly sanitation group of this NYSC
batch to go into this project is very commendable. We are very happy
with them and we appreciate them.”
“I am most excited because the corps members sourced for fund to
execute this project independent of government. I remember that when
they visited my office to solicit for funds, I told them that if you
really want to help humanity, don’t come to government to look for the
money. Go among yourselves and source for the money, and I’m happy
today to see that they have done exactly that. With determination,
they have been able to achieve this and we are sincerely happy with
them”, he emphasized.
The Minister therefore, urged the corps members deployed across the
nation to always carry the attitude of giving back to the society,
instead of depending on what they will get from government.
Speaking earlier, the President of the Monday Environmental Sanitation
Community Development Service Group, Mr. Carl Nwankolo explained that
the project would benefit over 2,000 villagers of Damgbam community.
He thus, praised the leadership of FCT Administration and the Federal
Ministry of Water resources for the steady support to see the project
come to fruition.

Muhammad Hazat Sule, FCAI
Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary,
Tuesday, June 21, 2016.