FG to construct new Abuja city to mark Nigeria’s centenary

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) onWednesday approved the
construction of a new city in Abuja as part of activities to mark
Nigeria's centenary celebration slated for 2014.


Nigeria, as a geo-political entity, came into existence following the
amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914by
Britain.


Nigeria, therefore, became a nation when thethen Governor-General of
the country, Lord Frederick Lugard, merged the Southern and Northern
Protectorates.


Briefing State House correspondents after theweekly FEC meeting, the
Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said the proposed new city
would be private sector driven.
Maku, however, stated that the Federal Government through the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) would provide an area where the city would be
sited.


"The new city that has been proposed as partof our centenary
celebration is entirely private sector driven and no kobo from the
government. Let that be very clear. This is absolutely private sector
driven with private sector investment.


"All that government will do is to provide an area through the FCT,
agree on a proper design and then it will be taken up completely,
totally by the private sector.
"The only few government's facility that will be there will be an
archive for celebrations."


He said the project was another way by government to encourage private
sector to create additional facilities in the FCT, saying that the
project might take years before completion.


President Goodluck Jonathan had said that the government would mark
the nation's 100years of existence during an official visit to
Jamaica, where he attended the Caribbean country's 178th Anniversary
of Emancipation and the 50th anniversary of its independencerecently.


Also briefing correspondents on the outcomeof the meeting, the
Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Muhammed, frowned at the negative reactions
of some people to FEC's approval of a new Banquet Hall at the
Presidential Villa.


Muhammed dismissed claims that N2.2 billionapproved for the
construction of the project was not captured in the FCT statutory
allocation.


"I wish to clear the misconception that we don't have a provision in
the budget and to explain that the FCT operates two budgets. It is in
the FCT statutory budget.


On the development of the new "Smart City", the FCT Minister stated
that it was in line with government's policy of unbundling the FCT to
private initiative.


He said about 16 companies would be investing about US$4 billion in
the development of 10 districts in the smart city.


Stupid isn't it?

Culled form the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)