Nigerians have been asked to be patient with the economic situation in the country, as the Federal government is working tirelessly to bring succour to the citizens.

This is as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, assured that the president Ahmed Tinubu led Administration is set to fix all anomalies within the shortest possible time.

Wike, who stated this while receiving the Infrastructures and Leadership Award presented to him by the management of This Nigeria Newspaper, said President Tinubu was aware of the hardship Nigerians are facing.

He added that the president was committed to surmounting all challenges confronting the country by addressing them one after the other.

“We want to assure Nigerians to continue to have that hope, that indeed, Nigeria will be better under the present administration of His Excellency Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

“Mr President knows that there is a problem that is why he said Renewed Hope Agenda. Why did he say so? He knows that Nigerians have lost hope and indeed he must work hard to bring that hope to Nigerians.

“So, it is not as if Mr President is being deceived not to know that Nigerians are suffering. Who does not know that Nigerians are suffering? That is no longer a story,

“Mr President has been making a lot of efforts and we know where we are coming from. We don’t expect, economy that was down, everything in this country was broken, and then, you expect within a short time, everything we be corrected? That is not correct.

“You said we have turn Abuja around, which means, if Abuja can be well, it means all other things will be well, ” Wike assured.

The minister, while dedicating the award to the president, thanked him for giving him the privilege to be part of his cabinet that had made it possible for him to contribute his own quota to national development.

“I thank Almighty God for the opportunity and I want to dedicate this award to His Excellency, the President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria for deeming it necessary that we be part of this renewed Hope Agenda for Nigeria without that, it would not have been possible for us to contribute our own quarter.”

Speaking on the theme of the lecture, 25 years of unbroken democracy, Wike admitted that Nigeria is not where it ought to be, but making progress by the day.

Inferno: Karu traders count their losses

Traders at the popular Karu Market are still counting their losses following the Thursday night fire incident that gutted parts of the market.

The fire which started around 7pm, raged for over two hours, as the Fire Service found it difficult to access the market due to the illegal construction of stalls on the access roads in the market.

Though the “plaza section” of the market was not affected by the inferno, the unplanned area, popularly referred to as the community market, was completely razed by fire, destroying goods worth millions of naira and leaving traders contemplating how to start all over again.

Our correspondent, who visited the market over the weekend, observed that the community market was still closed to business as some traders were seen trying to clear the debris of the remains from their shops.

Some eyewitnesses who spoke to our correspondent said the fire started after the market officially closed to business, at about 7.00pm.

An affected trader, Joakim Igweh, who has been selling kitchen utensils for the past 15 years, lamented that he has lost wares worth over N15 million.

Igweh said he was called back to the market at about 8.00pm, when it was too late to salvage anything from his shop.

He said,” l lost kitchen utensils worth millions of naira. l was called at about 8pm, then it was already late to salvage anything. Before I could run here, the fire was already out of control, all the shops were seriously on fire. My prayer is that the government should come to our rescue.”

Another trader who sells wholesale provisions, Emmanuel Chibuke, said he has lost goods worth over N10million in the disaster.

Like most of his colleagues in the community market, Chibuke said he got to the market too lateto salvage anything from his shop. “When I came, I saw that fire was on top of the roofs of our shops and everything was burning, so there was nothing I could even pick out.

“The fire damaged many things. Many people here collect loans to support their businesses, so we are begging the government to come and help us,” he said.

Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command said the incident has been contained as the police, alongside the Federal Fire Service rushed to the scene to protect valuables by forestalling any attempt to loot the shops.

Apo mechanic crisis: FCTA relocates traders to Wassa

The Federal Capital Territory Administration may have finally resolved the prolonged dispute at the Apo Mechanic village, as the FCTA has provided them an alternative space at Wassa.

The Abuja Inquirer recalls that the traders had in May, besieged the entrance of the FCTA secretariat demanding that the FCT minister signs the lease agreement to enable them move to their permanent site at Wassa District.

Chairman of the Apo Traders Associations, Chimezie Ife, at the protest, complained that the old Apo mechanic village was demolished in 2006 with a promise for a permanent location.

He explained that the traders waited till 2011 when they had to apply for a land, but and were forced to spend over N100 million over the time by officials of the Administration.

Despite the efforts and expenses, he lamented that the traders are yet to be allocated their land, prompting series of demonstrations against the administration.

However, Coordinator of the Abuja Municipal Management Council, AMMC, Felix Obuah, at a recent meeting with 17 recognised unions from the market, announced that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved a land in Wassa for all the affected businesses to relocate.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting Obuah said, “This issue of Apo Mechanic and traders has lasted for over 15 years. I am just three months old in this office and we have settled the issue, today they are happy, they are smiling and we are smiling.

“Over 50 unions that have been quarrelling, I have reduced them to four and they are happy. I’ve been able to bring everybody together, all the noise has died down.

“We’ve decided to relocate all the traders on the road corridor, buffer zone and the right of way to Wassa any moment from now and they are all happy. As I speak to you, the minister had given approval, even the task force to effect the movement are being set up. We have enough space, as a matter of fact, I can accommodate as much as they are genuine.”

Earlier, Obuah explained that enumeration would be thorough and that the traders and mechanics provide their NIN for the allocation to stall double registration.

According to him, “The enumeration team to verify them is already on ground, it will not be a situation when one man will bring his family member.

“The minister has given a marching order and we have to follow it judiciously without compromise. In less than one month, we will relocate them. Where we are taking them is a permanent place.”

The AMMC Coordinator made it clear that the allocations would be for individuals, not unions, but that he would need the unions to get the job done.

2 rescued from collapse building in Gudu, FCTA undertakes integrity test in Guzape

Tragedy was averted last week Friday, when an uncompleted building collapsed at the Prince and Princess Estate in Gudu District of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC.

The affected building, said to be a duplex under construction, collapsed on two labourers working on the site located at Close 10, Drive 5, Second Gate at the Prince and Princess Estate.

However, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department, FEMD, said the victims were successfully rescued due to the prompt response of emergency responders.

The acting director-general of FEMD, Florence Wenegieme, on Saturday, informed that all the workers evacuated the building as soon as they saw signs that the building was going to collapse.

Wenegieme, while underscoring the importance of employing professionals as well as the provision of protective wear for on-site workers to ensure safety on the site, also appealed to developers to provide insurance coverage for both the building and workers on site.

According to her, “FEMD received a distress call at about 6.45pm and activated NEMA FCT Fire Service and Department of Development Control.

“All the workers evacuated the building as soon as they saw signs that the building was going to collapse.

“However, two people in the detached bungalow (BQ) behind the building became trapped by the rubble from the collapsed building.

“The trapped occupants were rescued by the FEMD search and rescue team, who cut through the window protectors.”

Wenegieme appealed to developers and individuals to observe the building codes at all times.

She also urged developers to always carry out integrity tests on existing buildings before carrying out renovations.

In a related development, the FCT Administration on Saturday, ordered the immediate demolition of a building located at Plot 458 Guzape District, owing to some structural defects.

The defects on the building belonging to Nicholas Ukachukwu Praco Limited, was noticed by a passer, who alerted the FCT Emergency Management Department.

The FEMD arrived at the scene with members of the Asokoro Divisional Police Command, where the made their observations known to the owner of the property, who immediately demolished the structure.

Meanwhile, the Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, has directed the sealing up of the premises and engaged the Nigeria Building and Roads Research Institute to conduct an integrity test on all the buildings under construction within plots 454 and 458 in Guzape District, which are being developed by the same company.

No going back on students’ entrepreneurship development- FCTA

Secondary schools in the nation’s capital may have to broaden their curriculum to accommodate more entrepreneurship studies, as the Federal Capital Territory Administration vow to scale up its entrepreneurship development drive for students at that level.

Director FCT Secondary Education Board, Dr. Mohammed Ladan, said this had become necessary considering the rate of unemployment among the youths.

Ladan disclosed this during the 4th edition of the FCT-SEB Students Trade and Entrepreneurship Exhibition, Competition and Award Programme, organized in collaboration with the FCTA Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement.

He noted that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had expressed interest in empowering secondary schools within the territory, to acquire relevant entrepreneurial skills that will make students self-reliant.

He stated that the hunt for young minds with entrepreneurial innate ability at secondary school levels has become an annual event that will be sustained.

Ladan disclosed that the students drawn from 88 secondary schools across the territory, are groomed and also mentored to produce various goods that can be further improved on to contribute to the country’s GDP.

He said, “This competition involves all the 88 schools that belongs to the secondary education board. All of them participated. We did the zonal elimination, we did the area council elimination, and we are now at the Grand Finale.

“Out of the 12 schools that participated in the Finals, five will emerge as the winners. The five schools that will emerge as winners, what plans do you have to further develop the students and what they’ve produced doesn’t end here”

In her speech, the Acting Director, Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu said that developing entrepreneurship at secondary school levels requires collaboration.

Ahmadu who was represented by Assistant director in the Department, Kate Allison, noted that, “this collaboration is a good initiative that will help promote entrepreneurship in the FCT Schools curriculum as a policy for young minds for the future of our capital and Nigeria at large.

“The aim of this project is to showcase some of the achievements that our student have been able to make in the field of entrepreneurship in the course of the year. So we’ve been doing this, it’s a yearly program, and this is the fourth edition”, she added.

The three days programme saw 12 secondary schools qualifying for the finals, as five of the 12 were picked for award recognition.

Group mobilises support for widows in Abuja

Widows in the Federal Capital Territory, recently, held a charity sales to showcase the talents and skills of the vulnerable group.

Organisers of the charity sales, Helpline Social Support Initiative, says the event aims to mobilise support for widows while also encouraging their journey towards economic independence and self-reliance.

President of the NGO, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, stated this at a skills exhibition and charity sales to commemorate the 2024 International Widows Day.

Ahmadu, who was represented by the Project Manager of the organisation, Mr Arome Onoja, said, “We are here to celebrate the strength and resilience of widows, who despite facing immense challenges and grief, have emerged as beacons of hope and agents of positive change.

“Today, as we showcase the skills and creativity of widows, let us not only admire their craftsmanship but also recognise the crucial role they play in promoting peace and democracy within their communities.

“By purchasing their products and promoting their skills, we are not just investing in their future but also acknowledging their ability to contribute meaningfully to society,” she said.

She further said: “As we engage in the charity sales today, I urge each one of you to support these widows not just with your purchases, but also by spreading awareness about their skills and advocating for their rights.

“Let us stand together in solidarity with widows around the world and work towards creating a more inclusive, peaceful, and democratic society for all.”

She pointed out that widows have a unique perspective and a powerful voice that can contribute to fostering harmony, understanding, and inclusion in society.

According to her, their stories will inspire us to strive for a more just, equitable, and peaceful world for all.

“We firmly believe that peace and democracy are essential pillars for the empowerment and well-being of widows around the world.

“As we mark the 2024 International Widows Day, let us reflect on the importance of inclusion, diversity, and gender equality in building a more harmonious and democratic society.

“Widows bring a unique perspective and experience to the table, and it is crucial that their voices are heard and valued in decision-making processes at all levels.”

FCTA disburses N3.62bn to area councils, others

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has disbursed N3.62 billion to the six area councils, teachers and pension scheme as statutory allocation for May.

The Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, presided over the 190th FCT Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting in Abuja.

Mahmoud said N1.14 billion was set aside for the six area councils, while N2.49 billion was earmarked for teachers and pension schemes.

She said that out of the N1.14 billion set aside of the six area councils, Abuja Municipal Area Council received N346.53 million, Gwagwalada got N160.81 million, while Kuje received N191.38 million.

According to her, Bwari Area Council received N152.8 million, Abaji N119.49 million, while Kwali got N167.52 million.

For the N2.49 billion earmarked for teachers and pension scheme, the minister said N2.12 billion was allocated to primary school teachers, while N36.25 million was set aside as one per cent training fund.

She also said a total of N226.48 million was set aside as 15 per cent pension funds, while N107.85 million was earmarked as 10 per cent employer pension contribution.