PRESS RELEASE:FCTA TO HAND OVER UN HOUSE SOON

                                                        

The FCT Administration would strive very hard to complete and handover the United Nations House, Abuja to serve the purpose of being the Common Office for its Agencies before its next anniversary.

 

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello gave this assurance at the signing ceremony of the FCTA / UN 2017 Annual Work Plan at Area 111, Garki I District, Abuja.

 

The Minister expressed optimism that the House would be completed in time and handed over before the next anniversary of the United Nations.

  

Malam Bello, who described the signing ceremony as a very important milestone in the relationship between the FCT Administration and the United Nations, said it is a demonstration that the UN is fully committed to doing good works in the FCT.

 

The Minister promised that adequate budgetary provisions would be made in the 2017 budget to accelerate realization of set targets and bridge the deficiency gaps in performance in the previous years.

 

According to him, “We definitely will make adequate budgetary provisions to match your funding for 2017. We will also try to make sure that the budget is well funded so that work goes on.”

 

“It’s something we take seriously and we are actually looking towards creating a small unit in my office headed by somebody senior enough that coordinates all our relationships with the various UN Agencies so that it becomes easier to take decisions faster. Somebody from my office will always be part of it so that we can fast track the process, based on your recommendation,” he said.

 

While acknowledging that previous issues being jointly handled by the FCTA and the United Nations remain beneficial, the Minister stressed that newer projects would likewise be given priority consideration due to the impact they would have on the FCT.

 

Malam Bello remarked that urban solid waste management; slum upgrade and smart city are other issues that would be given attention in subsequent annual work plans between the two bodies.

 

Earlier in his remark, the UN Representative Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon thanked the FCTA for its efforts at reviewing the UN Under 3 Annual Work plan for signing; adding that implementation of the activities has started already.

 

He described the signing as an attestation of the FCTA’s commitment to nurture its cooperation with the UN for sustainable socio-economic development in the Federal Capital Territory.  

 

Mr. Kallon expressed hope that some of the challenges that hindered the implementation of the previous work plans would be adequately addressed.

  

 

Signed

Muhammad Hazat Sule, FCAI

Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary,

Wednesday, April 5, 2017.