FCTA partners UN Habitat to arrest urban degradation
Habitat
By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja, March 22, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello says FCT Administration is determined to partner United Nations (UN) Habitat in arresting urban sprawl and degradation.
Bello gave this assurance when he received the UN Habitat’s delegation led by the Programme Manager, Malam Kabir Yari, in his office on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister said the present administration was considering the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UN Habitat to make their working relationship towards issues of urban renewal and slum upgrading more formal.
Bello said that his recent trip to Malaysia with other key officials of the FCT Administration opened his eyes to so many difficulties confronting other modern capital cities.
The minister said that it was imperative to harness the benefits of the recently concluded World Urban Forum in that country.
He said urgent steps must be taken to address some of the challenges already bedevilling the FCT before they become entrenched.
The minister also indicated that the administration is willing to have a formal arrangement with the agency for staff training on how to surmount the challenges of running a modern capital city.
He called for support of the UN Habitat in tackling the issue of squatter settlements along the airport road that are already spilling into the major gateway into the city with attendant negative implications.
The minister said advocacy and outreach programmes should be channelled to these communities to enlighten them on the need to limit their activities within the stipulated boundaries, pending their eventual upgrade or relocation.
“As an administration, we don’t want to use highhanded tactics because they are old fashioned now.
“We need to contact them, we need to communicate with them and I believe this is where UN Habitat can be of help to us.
“On the service lanes, you see the villagers driving against traffic on high speed with motorcycles with no helmets,’’ he said.
Earlier, Yari said the delegation’s mission was to see how they could collaborate with the FCT Administration, as well as assist them to move to action.
He expressed his delight over the effective participation of the FCT Team at the recently concluded World Urban Forum in Malaysia.
The UN Habitat programme manager also commended the FCT Administration for sponsoring the participation of many officials in the activities of the UN Habitat.
The manager lauded the idea of technical committee to tackle the challenges of developing the FCT.
He noted that a lot of things were still redeemable if the two agencies actively collaborate with each other.(NAN)
KM/OSA/AFA
==========
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Felix Ajide