By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has called on socio-cultural organizations in the territory to work for the unity and progress of the country.
Bello made the call when the Igbos in Diaspora Assembly paid him a visit on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the unity of the country must be emphasized to promote development and peaceful co-existence of the various peoples and cultures within the country.
Bello also urged the group to throw their weight behind the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to enable him take Nigeria to enviable heights.
“The Igbos should also extend their support to the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to enable the President deliver on his mandates of restoring the economic and political integrity of the country.
“I appeal to you to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari for all the good work he is doing in Nigeria.
“The way you have supported me, I want you to please support the President of Nigeria in the same manner because God knows why President Buhari is on the driver’s seat today,” he said.
Bello described the Igbos as a very vibrant and influential group that has been part and parcel of the development of the FCT.
The minister said they must also ensure that those they elected during the last Area Council elections in the FCT are held accountable to the people.
“Since the chairmen and the councilors were elected by you and your members, it is your duty to ensure that they perform.
“This is by making sure that markets are clean and the relevant agencies handling waste disposal are able to do their work.
“We are encouraging the Area Councils to make their markets safer and to ensure that access roads to the markets are okay’’, he said.
Bello urged for a proper fire service arrangement to forestall any unfortunate instances that may likely arose.
“Where they call upon you to pay minimal charges to help you maintain a clean environment, I think you should support them,” the minister emphasized.
The minister said as an Administration, the FCTA was working towards the expectations of the residents of the Federal Capital Territory to make Abuja a true centre of unity.
Bello, who stressed the need for security consciousness among the residents in the FCT and the country at large, appealed to Igbo leaders in the country to also emphasize the importance of security.
“This includes good neighborliness and responsibility of the citizens so as to promote development.
“What we have tried to do and we will continue to do is that we want to make sure that the FCT is the most secure place in the country.
“That is why we devote a lot of human and material resources to ensure that this is really maintained and I’m very happy that you have acknowledged that,” the minister noted.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Igbos in Diaspora Assembly, Chief Kalu Uche Kalu lauded the Minister’s efforts in the maintenance of high level security in the Federal Capital Territory.
Kalu urged the minister to continue with the completion of abandoned road projects around the FCT.
He also appealed to the minister to help allocate a plot of land for the building of Igbos in Diaspora Assembly Headquarters in Abuja.
