ABUJA REVIEW
FCf airlifts 2,688
pilgrims
Gwarinpa hospital gets imaging unit -Page 28
ITH Oood washrng off fArmlands iIInd homrsteads in large parts of the country. the private sedor hAs been urged to set up Isrob.sed industries 10 shore up food sUF-Plies, ~bny ilrmetS who would ha ... e been on their farms have been huddled up in relief camps illongside their families, posing grave danger not just for the moment but .l5o next year
W A passion for kids and Dame's return -Page 40
Already. pnces of fOod items have gone up in several places.
Fro m BukfHI A mu s.n
โ ข development from which Abuja reldena are not insulated. 1ll.at was MuuSleT of State for the Federa Capital TerrilOf}'
whr
(FCT).
Oloyl'
Olajumoke
Akinjide. called on the private !lector to establash a~sed induslnes in the ternlory u pari of efforts to increase food production. The mmister, who made the call al the 2012 World Food Day
in Abup. advi5eJ thai food production should not br the sole responsibility of govemmmt She noted that tlw- new pohcy thrust of goveTTlmrnl was 10 empower the fanner grou~ and the pnvate sector to drive the agnCultural transformation pJ'OCel -rhe cha llenge before us is to produce rood for the tet!mlOg population Ul this country_ nlls cannot be SC!'en liS the fClipoMI bility of government alone. 11te pnvate ยงeCtor should tlke up the Challenge of establishing agm-
based mdustnes Ul the FCT In particular. SI~ there are tremendous potential a nd elaborate markctmS outJetsr(K thoe products.- scud Akin,lde. who WIIS rep~nt~ by her SpeCIal Assislant on Area Coun dis, Mr Pete-- FWII
She ilS5Ured that the FCT AdministratIOn WII5 ready to col1J,bor.1lle with any viablt' group to promote olgricullure In the nation's caPital. parucul.uly m Conlinu~
on Polse 26
THE NATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012
FCDAwams contractors
T
· Co ntinu ed from Pilge 25
the areas of improved farm in· puts distribution, tractor hiring services, produce marketing and other value chain processes. "We have registered 8,000 cooperative societies of different economic backgrounds in the FCT. These indui:.le prim;uy. sec· ondary and IIpel' co-operative Ofganisations with lotal membership of about 1.2 million. HThe FCT has already keyed into the Agrlcultwa\ Trari.slormilNON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation GO) based in Abuja. Foundation, has concluded plans to award scholarship 10 mdigent students. The group also said it wW distribute clothing and food items 10 orphans and widows in the nalion's capital. President of the Foundation Mrs. JumiH Ahmadu who disclosed this to reporten,also staled that the founcfation is planning "clearance sales" at Its Charity Shop In Ku;e Area Council soon. Mrs Ahmadu also revealed that the sale IS 10 enable the foundation raise funds to empower widows as well as pay school fees for the over 100 chifdren under the
A
He~Une
We need more food producers' tion Agenda (ATAJ of the present administration., and is al the forefront. Under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), FCT has surveyed and captured ovet" 50,000 farmers in its data bank. Of this number, II total of over 38,000 farmers have benefited from 3.279 metric Ions of assorted fertilisers and improved seeds," Akinjide revealed.
R
ing food secunty, dlversi~ng the economy, and enhancing foreign exchange earnings. The minister advised smallscale farmen; 10 unite and form viable commodity groups to maximise their entrepreneurships "The FCT Agriculture and Ru-
ral Development Secretariat (ARDS) under tlK' Fanners' Tech-
nology
Empowerment Proand the Public- Private Partnership CPPP) arrangement has procured 80 tractors with complete set of imp'lements whlch have been distributed to FCT large salle farmers and farmers ' co-operative groups through the area councils for the farming season," she added ~e
NGO caters for needy students, others Storl •• h o m Bu ko ll "mUllin founda,Jion 's scholarship scheme for children orphaned by HIV I AIDS and some other vulnerable children. The event will be under the chairmanship of the wife oC Kuje Area Council Chai r man, . Mrs Paulina Etsu Zhin, pointing out that the climax of the year's event will be a charity funfair. "We have concluded plans to assist the orphans and widows in our q:tidst. "'The event will take place in our
Mbora Phase 2 proj ect ESIDENTS of Mbora Distrid of the Federal Capital Territory, Abl,lja.are in for better times, as the Federal Government arproved the district's Phase II contract. The job was awarded to an indigenous company, Messers Sammya Nigeria lunlted Mbora District IS the one be-tween Gwarinpa I District (Life Camp) and Idu District . It has several mass housmg estates with about 4,000 families . The prtlft"d is 10 provide primary infraStructure which inClude storm drams, sewer Lines. telephone duds, water and ~wer supply. It will also prOVide t.he major roads hnking Ring road two with Karimo Distrid and local access roads to plot! in !he district. The Phase I of the pro;ect which was awa rded in February 2011 was also awarded to Messers Sammya Nigeria Limited at the cost of N6.6b and ha5 reached an
GES is one of the key iniliath'e5 under the Agricultural Transformation Ageni:la aimed al revamP'" ing the agriculture 5«tor. ensur-
HE Federal Capital Development AUthonty (FCDA) has warned r:onlr.lctOrl handling Us projects .gainst delay In completing their assignmenlll The -Executive 5e<-retary of the Authority, Mr. Adamu ~maila who spoke WIth ~en In Abup, said contnctors had bet~ sit and complete their job! on time. His woras: "The major Issue is fundi~~~ ono:'r funding U!steady. the p will defini tely be completed within stipulated lime" Adamu warned lazy contractan to resume work. Mylng that filgineers of tht: FCDA have been m0bilised to commence monitoring and supervision of the protects in line wrth the promise of tile FCT minister "It is not II heiavy task Ofl me; we hav!! tht: experts that will ensure fir&t-class t«hruca.lSUpervISlon,." he said. On the bad portions of .some roads within the capital city, the execu· tive secretary saId plans have reached adv~ stagl!5 to rehabtlitate the entire roeds in Phase Onr of wrkj and Wuse Distncts, clarifying tNt work on the roads would commt'n~ before the end of the year. ~It is our mtenllon to rehabilitate the ,-,"lire roads m Garki and Wuse bul it's not gomg 10 be done at on~ but in phaso lind we are starting ttus year, ~ he said. He .lIsured reSidents of Gwanmpa and some rarls of Mllitama and A50koro 0 regular water supply by theend of tht' y!!ar. followlOg the matching orders giVfil to tMcantractors locomplete the water pfOJKl by Dece:mm.
approved advanced stage . The second phase approved by FEC is awarded at a contract sum of NIJ.3b with a completion period of 36 months. The tolal project cost for the provision of engineerinJ Infrastructure t() Mbora Distnct is NI9.9b. The contractor:' Sammya Nig Ltd is an indigeno\h! company with several years bf experience and cl1ll1!rltly cartying out various infrastructure projects in various sta les of the federation. The !ICOpe of work indude5 35km of roads, 70km of water reticulation , 38km of sewer line, 2 NO"s 15MVA power station etc. The PubUc Relations Manager of Sammya. Otunba Teslim Alao told Abu/a Review that the company would complete the two phaSes well ahead of schedule.
charity shop localed at Ku;e Area Council and the climax of this year event i!l a charity funfai r to host our target group (widows and orphans in !.he FCT) a t the Millennium Park Abuja it! a demonstration of our lo\'e to these vulnerable people in our midst," Mrs. Ahmadu stressed_
Other events lined .'!!p for the programme accordmg to Uie president include ~ 2012 Little Miss Charity Beauty Contesl, Best Mum Contest. Quiz Competition to identify three orphans to be included on the sdtolarship list and distribution of clothing and
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Cood items. She called on well-meamng Nigerians to support the foundation by donating items such as food . cloth for both children and adults. gift items, prizes and sponsorship. eVI!n it! she solicited the support of the media