FCT minister seeks collaboration between citizens, govt

MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, has again stressed the need for a government/citizenry collaboration for the overall growth and development of the nation’s capital.

The minister said this at the FCT Business Made Easy Lituation Event organized by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

Bello said the FCT is such a city that the people should own and guard jealously.

He said interactions such as the Lituation Event, between government and those that invest in the city, were apt and  important and would go a long way in encouraging government/citizenry collaborations and ultimately, building the FCT of “our dreams.”

According to him, “When I see and read the efforts being made to ease business and also the successes achieved, I see something that is missing; where is citizens’ engagement? Collaboration is essential and it is key.”

The minister reiterated that citizens must take a more active role in making the city more business-friendly.

“We want to make the business environment friendly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), but go to our markets and see how refuse is being managed. Go to our traffic intersections and see how traffic rules are being flouted,” he said.

While enumerating challenges faced by the FCT administration in managing a national capital like Abuja, the minister urged the private sector to partner with the administration, especially in the area of public transportation and waste disposal, pointing out that the administration has taken various steps to ease procedures for partnership and collaborations.

Bello then urged the citizenry to have confidence in government and appreciate the work being done to make things work.

He said: “Let us have confidence in this government, let us have confidence in our country and let us also appreciate our country. I assure you that if we collaborate and work together, we can achieve a lot.

“Also, I see many businessmen that I have known here. They will tell you; I don’t think there is any country in the world where you get the kind of returns that you get in Nigeria,” he added.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, had said that the Lituation Event was intended to connect all stakeholders across the Nigerian business landscape at the subnational level, especially young entrepreneurs with government agencies and business regulators.