House Committee tasks FCT investment managers to work with capable partners

The House of Representatives Committee on FCT has advised the Abuja Investment Company Limited, AICL, the company saddled with the responsibility of managing infrastructure in FCT, to ensure collaboration with only capable and willing partners in the provision of infrastructure in the territory.

Chairman of the Committee Muktar Betara gave the advice during an interactive session with the AICL team headed by Group Managing Director Moreen Tamuno on activities of the organisation and ways to improve revenue generation in the FCT.

Betara noted that the committee had been disappointed with the management of infrastructure in the FCT but hoped that things would improve now that the minister is bringing in new hands.

He said: “I will advise you, anybody that you’re not ready to work with, remove the person so that you can work well. The Committee is ready to support you and support FCT in general.”

A member of the committee and lawmaker from Ondo State, Timilehin Adelegbe, told AICL management: “What we need as a House is to encourage you and also urge you to do a holistic audit of staff who may be dragging you back which is very very important.”

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Another member, Regina Akume (APC, Benue), tasked the team to ensure they eschew the Nigerian factor of neglecting government business to rot,

She said: “Before, we see a spirit of ‘it is not my problem, it’s not my business, it’s government’s business’; government is for all of us, so put all the broken pieces together. There’s so much laxity and it’s not right.”

Dr Tamuno noted that the department is seeking ways of tackling the menace of revenue leakages, where levies are initially collected manually, to ensure that dividends collected from the city are returned to the coffers of the FCTA administration.

Dr Tamuno who assured that under her watch the FCT cannot afford to be left the way it was, said: “We are definitely building bridges, we are looking at how to reposition the FCT and we are making progress.”