A joint development commission that will foster a strong economic relationship between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration and the Nassarawa State government is in the offing.
Under the arrangement, the two parties will harmonize development planning, financing as well as accruing revenue sharing from the proposed rail, roads, and other infrastructure joint projects.
The FCT and the Nassarawa State government share equal boundaries linking the Federal Capital to the several North Eastern States of the country.
‘’The relationship between FCT and Nassarawa State is very close because the boundary between the two is only imaginary, if you get there, you will find it difficult to see any difference,’’ according to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.
The minister who made this known when he received the Nassarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, an engineer in Abuja, said: “There is the need for us to see how we can improve the linkages. The founding fathers of the FCT envisaged that the surrounding territories would become greater Abuja. Our hope is that the Apo-Karshi road, when completed will ease traffic on the Nyanya axis, but it will not be enough because of the many communities that will spring up there.”
Malam Bello assured that he would not allow illegal parks to appear at the FCT side, and urged the Governor to do same on the side of his State,
The Minister also disclosed that the FCT is seriously working on commencement of rail line construction that will connect the two even as he solicited the support of Nassarawa State.
Earlier, Governor Sule said that his visit was to seek partnership with the FCT administration for the construction of a modern bus terminal on the side of the State and remove all illegal parks along the road to ease the free flow of traffic in the axis.
He also suggested the construction of roadside barriers that would prevent roadside trading while promising to clear all illegal activities on the road shoulders and move traders into the State’s international market, renamed after President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Governor congratulated Malam Bello for reappointment as FCT and Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu as FCT Minister of State.
In his presentation on the proposed ONEX-Mpape-Ado/Gurku-Nyanya by-pass, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Umar Gambo Jibrin, said that the 40 kilometer road was planned to link FCT and Nasarawa State to help in decongesting the area.
The Director, Satellite Towns Development, Felix Nwanko who also made a presentation on the progress work along the Apo-Karshi road, assured that the road would be ready by the first quarter of next year.
On his part, Chairmen, Task Team on Decongestion of Nyanya road, Ikharo Attah disclosed that travel time has been reduced from hours to less than 15 minutes on Nyanya route.
He pointed out that for traffic on the road to remain free, relevant agencies such as the FRSC, VIO, Police and the AEPB must do their job, and run shifts to keep the traders in the markets.
Source: Guardianng
