The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved the renovation, rehabilitation and upgrade of all 14 general hospitals in the territory, and the resumption of work on the abandoned Utako General Hospital.
The decisions were among resolutions of the 19th meeting of the FCT Executive Council, presided over by Minister Nyesom Wike, and attended by the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud.
Briefing journalists yesterday, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Chidi Amadi, said the council considered 20 memoranda from various secretariats, departments and agencies.
The Mandate Secretary for Health and Environmental Services, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the hospital intervention would cover new equipment, including X-ray machines and diagnostic materials, and the upgrading of theatres.
She said Wike had directed that work should begin on Utako General Hospital, which has been abandoned for years. The project will cover construction, equipping and staffing.
Dr Fasawe said the measures were expected to improve access to quality, affordable healthcare for residents, adding that the administration had continued to pay premiums and capitation to health insurers and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs).
The Director, FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, said the council approved a new divisional police station at the Wasa Informal Sector, ahead of the planned relocation of Apo mechanics and artisans to the area. The contract has a six-month delivery timeline. He said the project followed the Minister’s directive to provide security for the sector and surrounding communities as economic activity grows.
Gwary said it was part of a plan to build two divisional police stations in each of the six area councils. He said the stations at Ushafa and Saburi had been completed, furnished and handed over, each with a furnished six-man staff quarters.
The council approved the digitalisation of the FCT High Court, covering about 67 courtrooms.
The General Counsel, Salman Dako, said the project would introduce electronic court recording and case-management systems to replace manual recording and physical filing. He said implementation would begin immediately, with noticeable improvements expected within two weeks.
Also, the Education Secretariat secured approval for two contracts to supply examination materials to primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools across the FCT.
The Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr Danlami Hayyo, said the approval was part of efforts to transform public schools through renovation, improved classrooms and instructional materials. He said better facilities had encouraged some parents to move their children from private to public schools.
The Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) secured approval for a N5.703 billion contract to build a 33KVA power supply line from Dawaki to Tukulo and surrounding villages in Bwari Area Council.
The STDD Coordinator, Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, said the contract was awarded to CGC Nigeria Limited and would be completed in eight months.
The council also ratified two completed and unveiled road projects, both awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited:
The Gaba-Tukulo Road and two-span river bridge in Bwari Area Council, at N8.219 billion, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT.
The rehabilitation of the Paikon Kore-Ibuwa Road in Gwagwalada Area Council, at N8.890 billion, inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT.
Mr Zulkiflu said both projects had a 12-month completion period.
The Department of Land Administration secured approval for three memoranda to improve operations and strengthen revenue collection.
The Director, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said they covered utility vehicles and integrated ICT infrastructure, including computers, workstations, scanners, network switches, fibre-optic connections, data-centre servers, monitoring and cooling systems.
The council also ratified a contract for customised revenue receipt booklets, to be printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company. Nwankwoeze said the redesigned receipts have enhanced security features to prevent alterations and fraud in land revenue collection.
The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) secured approval for six memoranda, five for ratification and one for fresh approval. The Overseeing Coordinator, Mrs Mary Amina Ahmadu, said they would facilitate maintenance works, particularly on waterways affected by environmental challenges.
She said indiscriminate refuse dumping had contributed to blocked waterways and flooding in parts of the FCT.
The FCT Water Board secured approval for two memoranda. One is for the supply of powdered chlorine, known as high-test hypochlorite (HTH), for water treatment. The Acting General Manager, Mrs Chinyere Elechi, said it was essential for killing pathogens before water is distributed, and for preventing diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
The other is for renewal of insurance for facilities at the Lower Usman Dam Treatment Plant.