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Abdulrahman Obaje

Prince Abdulrahman Obaje is a Media and ICT Consultant, Journalist, online marketer, social media strategist, Mathematician and Computer Scientist based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is the Founder and the Publisher of The Informavores!. You can reach me on +234 805 939 5252 or send i-witness report directly to me on news@informavores.com.ng.

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Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ranatu Tijjani Aliyu, has assured members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, that efforts would be made for improved budgetary provisions in 2021 budget in view of the critical roles town planners play through review and implementation of physical plans for satellite towns, urban renewal, and other levels of planning interventions.

Aliyu, who gave this commitment when members of the topmost management of the planning profession paid her a courtesy visit, recently,  also stressed that recent flooding in most parts of the territory could have been avoided if town planners were actively engaged in the physical planning of satellite towns and settlements.

The minister who is also a town planner by profession frowned at the conflicts of roles between physical planners and engineers and other allied professionals, saying “this is an era to redefine the essence of town planning in Nigeria”.  

According to her,  “How can town planning not be given prominence and engineering takes precedence? And this what we faced as a professional body. The flooding which is unexpected is as a result of neglecting town planners. Perhaps, it is an opportunity for town planners to also sit together and see how they can salvage the situation. 

“However, in the FCT and with the approval of the FCT Minister, we set up an adhoc committee of town planners to go round the city to see what has been done and what is left undone. This is because if we continue to do the same thing again and again, we should not expect different result. I can tell you proudly that in the past, powers were usurped and realities are now telling on us. This is an era to redefine the essence of town planning in Nigeria”.

She, therefore, appealed to members of the National Assembly to assist the profession for improved budgetary provisions for the implementation of physical plans for satellite towns and urban management.

Earlier in his remarks, the leader of delegation and National President of  Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Tpl. Lekwa Ezutah, commended the minister for what he described as “demonstrated passion and commitment to the course of physical planning” in Nigeria particularly in the Federal Capital Territory since assumption of office as FCT Minister of State.

While appreciating the efforts at creating the Directorate of Physical Planning in FCT Satellite Towns Development Department  (STDD), he implored the Directorate of Physical Planning be given the full latitude to exercise its functions instead of being subsumed under the Directorate of Engineering Services of the STDD, noting that such step would promote effective delivery of services by the Directorate.

“We have observed that the FCT is in dire need for planners at all levels to facilitate organised development and achievement of the intents of the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and the provisions of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law.

“We recommend an aggressive manpower hunt for professional planners into the services of FCTA, provide adequate equipment for enforcement and improve the capacity of planners through training and retraining programmes either locally or international programmed,” he stressed.  
Ezutah, however, pledged the Institute readiness to be part of providing affordable housing for rural dwellers in the Federal Capital Territory.  

Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has forfeited her May salary to secure the immediate release of five inmates who could not pay for their fines at the Kuje Correctional Service.  

In a statement issued by the minister and signed by Austine Elemue, S.A Media To FCT Minister of State, in.Abuja, said the minister who made the donation while felicitating with the inmates as part of activities to celebrate this year’s Sallah day said the donation would further go a long way to decongest the Correctional Service already overcrowded with inmates in view of COVID-19 pandemic.  

Aliyu who assured the inmates that the FCT Administration would take further legal steps to see to the decongestion of the Kuje Correctional Service, however, described the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, as a God fearing man and a man with the heart of gold who believes in good governance. adsbygoogle || []).push({});  

In her words: “I will not only support the reduction, but I will also lend my voice in the reduction of prison inmates by picking up some bills. I will carry out the campaign and speak to well meaning Nigerians because you cannot leave the burden of good governance to government alone.  

“We know that some of you are awaiting trial, we know that some have not been tried at all, but provided there is law, we will not be lawless. We will go by the law and get in well meaning Nigerians and pay up the fines. This will also go a long way to reduce the number besides government pronouncements.  

“Government pronouncement as we all know does not come easily in every nation. If government pronouncement comes very easily, then definitely, the name correctional centre will be misplaced. We know Mr. President recently spoke our minds when he spoke about the need to decongest our prisons.  

“And I know my Minister, a God fearing man, and a man with a heart of gold, he will certainly sent message across. God willing, FCT Administration will make moves to decongest our prison based on merit. I in my own capacity, I stand here personally on this Sallah day, I want to donate my salary for the release of 5 inmates”.  

Aliyu affirmed that the Correctional Service has been positioned to refine the inmates in the rebuilding of a better society, noting that they could make the best out of the experiences gained at the service.  

“There are times in our life that we erred, but to err is human, and to forgive is divine. There are times in our life that we are put to test, sometimes, we passed the test, sometimes we failed the test. For various reasons, we might have found ourselves at the correctional centre. But you know what, you can make the best out of it.  

“As we appreciate you, we pray for you to come out to be a better citizens that will give us a Nigeria of our dreams. Somebody else cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams and you cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams from outside, you can only give us Nigeria of our dream from within and I know you are already at the preparatory stage. When you leave here either by amnesty or whatever pronouncements, you can only become better citizens,” Aliyu stated.  

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Comtroller of Correctional Service, FCT Command, Mustapha Illiyasu Atta, while commending the minister for her visit, however, expressed displeasure over the number of inmates awaiting trial, revealing that 70 percent of the inmates are awaiting trial list.  

Atta, also used the occasion to reveal that the Kuje Correctional Service with a capacity of 560 inmates, now accommodates no fewer than 866 inmates, while appealing to relevant authorities to work towards the decongestion of Correctional Service.    

Items donated include 250 packs of cooked jollof rice, 500 bottles of soft drinks, 500 bottles of table water, 1000 face masks, 50 bags of rice, 50 cartons of spaghetti and 100 cartons of indoomie noodles.