Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr. Olusade Adesola, has assumed leadership of the FCTA following the exit of former Minister Muhammad Bello, and Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu.
Speaking during the handover, Bello charged the city managers and heads of secretariats to step up their duties in preserving the Abuja Master plan, especially the water bodies, like Jabi Lake and the reserved green areas.
He said: “Obviously the FCT, particularly the FCC, is going through tremendous challenges that would warrant those manning the responsibility of managing the territory and the city itself, have to really go the extra mile or else the city will be beyond your grip. If we are not careful, in the next two years the Jabi Lake may dry up due to encroachment because once you lose environment, vegetation, and water bodies, it is impossible to regain them.”
The former Minister also used the medium to ask for forgiveness for all his misdeeds, as he exit the office.
“So, I ask you to forgive me for all my follies, my weaknesses, for all the things I ought to have done and have not done. God bless the Federal Capital Territory.”
On her part, the former FCT Minster of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, stressed the need for management staff to strengthen the institutional framework of FCDA/FCTA and cultivate the habit of keeping the ‘History’ of the system.
Aliyu, thanked the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Directors, staff and drivers for their cooperation and tolerance, even as she harps on the need to forgive one another and allow collaboration to lead.
She said: “I want to thank particularly the drivers that accommodated my excesses, even during their weekends when I have hospitality functions, they will always be there.
“The FCT family is a big family and that is one thing am going to miss. No parastatal or agency is neatly bonded like FCTA. We must agree to disagree among ourselves, but most importantly the ability to forgive and understand. Whosoever you encounter, let forgiveness and understanding be the watchword.”
Receiving the handover document, the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, noted that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was the first that provided for a smooth transition in the history of Nigeria.
He said: “There are situations where the outgoing Government did not hand over any document and this could be challenging for the incoming administration, and by Executive Order 14, the president directed that this should be cascaded into the transition bill that will soon be signed into law.
“So, the document you are leaving behind does not capture the full range of activities that you undertook while you were in office, but we have made the efforts to capture as much as possible so that whoever will be your successor in office will be able to carry on from here.”
Adesola revealed that the FCTA had commenced the process of compiling the handover notes two weeks before President Muhammadu Buhari gave a directive on the implementation of Executive Order 14.
He explained that the handover report is a document written in Vol. 1, 2 &3 and captured a wide range of activities that were carried out during the administration of Muhammad Musa Bello from the FCTA- SDAs, particularly in the area of Abuja Light Rail, Garki Hospital and collapsed buildings.
“Volume 1 is the main report which is over 380 pages, volume 2 contains the annexes, while volume 3 carries the appendix, the report and submission by the Executive Secretary FCDA, the Mandate Secretaries and Coordinators of STDD and AMMC
