The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu Candido, has appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to reconsider taking lands meant for farming from the aborigines to allocate to individuals for construction of buildings.
Speaking Monday in Abuja, during a study tour of Course 44 participants and officials of the National Institute of Policy and Strategy Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Candido said regardless of development, food security was paramount as lands were needed for farming activities to feed FCT residents.
He said as a result of growing unemployment in the country, many people embrace farming to keep body and soul together, while waiting for jobs, and that it would be encouraging insecurity if FCT residents were prevented from farming as a result of the FCTA allocating lands for building construction.
Candido said the Council enjoys full autonomy from the FCTA as allocations from the federation account were promptly paid to the Council’s account on a monthly basis, but lamented that the revenue meant for development of the Council were not remitted by the FCTA, thereby leading to debt owed contractors.
He urged officials of the NIPSS to impress on President Muhammadu Buhari and the FCT Minister the need to allow the revenue meant for the Council to get to it, in order to encourage even development.
“The full autonomy advocated by Mr President should be allowed to stay. This will encourage development. NIPSS should recommend to the federal government the need for full autonomy of the local government system to come to pass. NIPSS should encourage for whatever belongs to area councils to be given to them for even development,” he said.
On his part, NIPSS Directing Staff and leader of the delegation, Professor Sunday Ochoche, said that the tour will enable the participants to know the issues facing the local government system in order to make appropriate recommendations.
