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Reps Promise To Give 5% FCT Area Councils Deduction Legislative Backing
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, has that it will look into the possibility of giving legislative backing to the five percent deduction from Area Councils funds for the traditional institutions, upgrade of the trade stools and creation of more chiefdoms for effective functions.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fredrick Agbedi stated these during an interactive session with the traditional council in FCT on Monday in Abuja.
Agbedi said “We recognize and appreciate the critical role traditional rulers play in cultural preservation, security, conflicts resolution and community development in governance.
“Your leadership has been instrumental in fostering peace and stability within the FCT, and your contributions to local development is invaluable.
“I also want to use this avenue to acknowledge sets of your requests regarding the allocation of five percent from the funds designated for the Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory, to support traditional institutions. However, the disbursement and allocation of funds within the FCT are governed by provisions of statutory budgetary framework that prioritize various sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, education and social welfare.
“While we acknowledge the merit of your request, the current financial framework does not explicitly provide for such an allocation to traditional institutions. Any allocation of such funds will require legislative review and policy amendments to ensure compliance with existing financial regulations.
“Additionally, we wish to inform you that there is currently an Area Councils Administration Establishment Bill that has just gone through the first reading in the House of Representatives. This committee will liaise with all relevant stakeholders to consider all avenues for creating provisions that address the concerns of traditional rulers, including the allocation of funds for traditional institutions. In the interim, we encourage traditional councils to also engage with Area Councils to discuss potential avenues for partnerships and mutually beneficial initiatives that align with existing budgetary provisions.
“We also assure you that we’re open to further discussions on this issue, and will continue to support the recognition of traditional institutions within the broader governance structure. That said, we remain committed to collaborative efforts toward enhancing the welfare of traditional institutions and to explore possible mechanisms though which the role of traditional rulers can be better supported within the bigger and financial framework of the FCT and Area Councils”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the FCT Traditional Council, HRH, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa (Abaji Chiefdom) informed the committee that the graded chiefs under the council have 17 chiefdoms across the six Area Councils with Ona of Abaji as the only 1st class chief.
“The Council’s operations are faced with myriads of challenges that inhibit its functioning, including inadequate financing of the institution, lack of existing legal/policy framework that will strengthen the financing of traditional institution in the FCT”, he said.
He therefore appealed that the implementation of five percent of local government allocations as being done by some states for traditional rulers will go a long way to addressing those challenges.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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