By Ayoni M. Agbabiaka
Abuja
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has released the sum of N76.5 million, being its counterpart fund, for the execution of various projects in the Territory by Japanese government as grant to Nigeria, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
N46.5 million out of the N76.5 million is counterpart funding for integrated solid waste management system in the Federal Capital Territory under the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB); while the balance of N30 million is to serve as its share for the water sub-sector projects including metering of water consumers in the FCT.
The Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, stated this while
receiving a delegation of JICA in Nigeria led by its Country Senior Representative, Mr. Hiroshi Kodama, in his office.
He added that the water metering system would greatly reduce water leakages on the main trunk line.
He said also it was very important for the city to have a comprehensive waste management system that would be in place for the benefits of all residents.
He said: “It is very clear that for us to achieve proper waste management in the city, we have to have a system of sorting that will clearly differentiate between the plastics, glasses, metals, the soft waste that you can make into biomass as well as the other solid wastes. This as you know, we don’t have in the system.”
Speaking earlier, Kodama said JICA had several knowledge and skills, particularly in the area of agriculture that it was willing to share with the people of the FCT.
Kodama recalled that last year JICA organised a workshop in Gwagwalada on rice cultivation technology, especially on improved parboiling technology, aimed at improving the quality of rice produced in the Territory.
