The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where the government of the federation operates, is bedeviled with environmental mess particularly sitelite towns that adjoins the seat of government.
Critical analysis showed that successive ministers saddled with the responsibility of providing quality administration to the nation’s capital only concentrated on the urban areas but lackadisic or ignored the satelite towns, as their concentration was only targetted at the Abuja city, churnning out several lanes of road, constructing high rising buildings, casting over-head bridges, with the intention beautifying and providing comfort to people in government and money bags.
Meanwhile satellite towns, like Nyanya, Kubwa, Lugbe Kuje, Karu and many others are reduced to dumping site, where all manners of dirts and environmental pollutions are domiciled, not minding the looming health hazard.
Indiscriminate dumping of all kind of refused not only on the road, including major roads In these areas further exposed residents to different type of diseases and other deadly epidemics.
This situation has also brought residents of these satellite towns in the capital city to be at the mercy of impending epidemic when the raining season commences, if the refuse are not evacuated and the city is not kept clean.
Suffice is to say that there is a paradigm shift to this unhealthy situation as the FCT admistration under the ever watchful eyes of the Honorable Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has began to change the narrative.
Worried over the gory nature of the environment in these satelite towns, Dr Aliyu, took the Bull by it horn and directed all cleaning service providers engaged to provide cleaning, evacuation and management of waste at the satellite towns to espiditiously move to sites to efficiently and effectively clean up the satellite towns.
Her further directive was the continued inspection through the Coordinator of STDD at Nyanya, Karu, Kurudu, Orozo, Jikwoyo, Karshi and other Towns around them.
Aliyu assured the service providers that she had approved payments due to them which was being processed.
While lamenting on the filth littering Abuja, the minister further ordered a comprehensive cleanup of all satellite towns across the six area councils of the territory.
The minister explained that the directive is part of efforts to rid satellite towns of environmental nuisance characterised by poor sanitation.
She pointed out that the order was with immediate effect under the direct supervision of the STDD coordinator to ensure the restoration of the environment for the safety of the residents.
According to Dr. Aliyu, waste generation in the FCT has an exponential trend because of the influx of Nigerians into the territory, decrying peoples’ attitudes towards the environment.
The residents of the FCT who could not hold back their joy over the new development, said this is the first time government is paying attention to their general welbieng.
A resident in karshi town Mall Baba Ibrahim, said previous government have not been paying much attention to the satelite towns, like the way the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing now.
He said the present leadership of the FCTA under the minister of state, showed compassion and made the people of the satelite towns have sense of belonging.
Isah Dogo, one of a resident of Karu, while commending the effort of the FCT Minister of state, said Dr. Aliyu directive is timely, adding that the move have averted what could have been a major disaster in the community.
“This is how a Minister should work. The Minister of state FCT have so far shown high capacity in the issues militating against rural communities. And we have seen her intervened in what would have been area council matter. Infact she is very good”.
Another resident of Kubwa village, Agnes Samuel said not for the quick intervention of the Dr. Aliyu, they would have been in trouble with Cholera, Malaria and others.
