PRESS RELEASE ON RMAFC VISIT TO THE FCTA

L-R: Commissioner representing the FCT at the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Hon. Tanko Abari, Chairman, Indices and Disbursement Committee of the Commission, Dr Chris Akomas and FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello during the visit of the RMAFC to the FCTA.

WORK OUT ROBUST FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THE FCT

…MINISTER APPEALS TO RMAFC

1.     FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has appealed to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to work out a specific funding mechanism for the FCT.

2.     This, he said, will to enable the FCT Administration meet its infrastructural development objective for the FCT.

3.     This appeal was made when members of the Commission’s Indices and Disbursement Committee, led by its Chairman, Dr Chris Akomas, paid a courtesy visit to the FCTA.

4.     The Minister, explained to his guests that Abuja was one of the fastest growing cities in the world with an annual population growth of between 7% and 9%. He further informed members of the RMAFC that the FCT currently has an approximate population of 6 million people as against the 2.5 million envisaged by the masterplan at its present stage of development.

5.     The Minister continued “So, everything is grossly overstretched and that’s why the FCT Administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, decided that we continue to emphasize on completing ongoing infrastructural projects in the road, rail and water sectors”

6.     Malam Bello also informed his guests that with the number of infrastructural development projects currently going on in the FCT, funding remains a challenge.

7.      He continued “As the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, it is  your national duty to create a special funding mechanism that is not against the constitution that makes sure that these works in progress are  done because as you know, we are considered under section 299 of the Constitution as if we were a state”.

8.     Speaking earlier, Dr Chris Akomas informed the FCT Minister that his team was in the FCTA on an advocacy and sensitization visit to seek the cooperation of the FCT Administration to enable it discharge its duties, one of which is the collation of accurate and reliable data.

9.     Dr Akomas said members of the Commission had visited all the states of the Federation   including the Ministries of Education, and Water Resources as well as the National Boundaries Commission, National Population Commission and other government agencies.

10.  In his words “We are visiting all these places because we are talking of data and we are looking forward to data integrity”.11. Also present at the event were the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu and the Director, Department of Economic Planning Research and Statistics, Alh Mohammed Lawal amongst other senior staff of the FCTA and RMAFC.

ANTHONY OGUNLEYE

CHIEF PRESS SCRETARY

FCTA/OCPS/PR/214

17/03/2021