In line with the Executive Order 14 that stipulates peaceful transition of power, the outgone FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, have handed over the baton of leadership to the permanent secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola.
At the ceremony in Abuja, the outgoing FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, charged the city managers 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 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 outgoing FCT minister also used the medium to ask for forgiveness of all his misdeeds, as he exits 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.”
The outgoing FCT minster of state, Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, stated the need for management staff to strengthen the institutional frame work of FCDA/FCTA and cultivate the habit of keeping ‘History’ of the system.
Dr Aliyu thanked the permanent secretary, directors, staff and drivers for their cooperation and tolerance, even as she harps on the need to forgive one another and allow collaboration.
She said: “I want to thank the drivers that accommodated my excesses, even during their weekends when I have hospitality functions.
“The FCT Family is a big family and that is one thing I 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 watch word.”
Receiving the Handover document, the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola noted that the administration of former 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 there.”
Mr Adesola revealed that the FCTA had commenced the process of compiling the handover notes two weeks before President Buhari gave directive on the implementation of the Executive Order14.