By Ewache Ajefu/Editor,Newsdiaryonline.com
The Satellite Towns Development Agency (STDA) and the Ministerial Committee on Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative are to engage 300 youths and women across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the cleaning and greening of the satellite towns.
Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, disclosed this Thursday in Abuja while inaugurating a Ministerial Committee on Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative.
The minister mandated the committee to build effective and sustainable enforcement strategies in the cleaning and greening of the satellite towns.She also directed the committee members to recommend appropriate and sustainable waste management strategies for the satellite towns.
“The FCTA is going to assist the six Area Councils in the area of capacity and funding to clean-up the satellite towns. The Administration will help out in cleaning up the satellite towns and regional road corridors, while the Area Councils are expected to clean up the villages, including the minor settlements,” she disclosed.
On the engagement of the 300 youths and women, Akinjide assured that their employment would be transparent.
“The Ministerial Committee will work out the details on the engagement of the engaging 50 youths and women in each of the six area councils. Let me however state here that the engagement of the youths and women won’t be based on party lines. We want people that are ready to work,” she stated.
The minister ordered the ministerial committee to embark on aggressive tree planting exercise and vegetation control to achieve the greening of the satellite towns.
She listed the other terms of reference of the committee to include: to ensure public awareness through effective publicity and sensitization campaign to foster the culture of cleanliness amongst residents; to design and identify locations for public convenience at strategic locations in the Satellite Towns; and to achieve the clean-up of the Satellite Towns and highways within the FCT.
The ministerial committee is chaired by the Director of the Satellite Towns Development Agency, Engr. Tukur Ibrahim Bakori, while the Head of Environment, STDA, Mr. Olusegun Olusa, will serve as secretary of the committee.
Other members include: Senior Special Assistant (Special Duties) to the Minister of State, Mrs. Jummai Kwanashie; Director, Inspectorate, Planning and Monitoring of Area Councils Service Secretariat (ACSS), Architect Joshua Kaura; Director of Development Control, FCTA, Mr. Yahaya Yusuf; Director of FCT National Orientation Agency, Mr. Moses Disa Aba; Director of Urban & Regional Planning, FCTA, Mr. Abubakar Sulaiman; and Director of Parks & Recreation, Mr. Luka Bulus Achi.
Also in the committee are Special Assistant on Environment to the Minister of State, Mr. Ayo Sotinrin; Special Assistant to the Secretary of Social Development Secretariat, Mr. Dominic Oga; Heads of Department (HODs) of Area Councils Environment Department; and Federal Ministry of Information Officers in the six Area Councils.
In his response, the Chairman of the Committee expressed the readiness of the members to commence work immediately and accomplish the terms of reference.
“The Committee will work assiduously to achieve the terms of reference. As you area aware, the STDA already identified some dump sites and collection points and is collaborating with the six area councils on sanitation exercise,” Bakori stated.
