- The development will make local government officials directly accountable to the people
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has thrown his support behind the recent grant of autonomy to local governments, saying, “I have no apologies for the autonomy of local governments.”
Wike stated this on Monday at the start of the upgrade of War College and other ancillary roads in Bwari, saying he was not interested in allocating funds to area councils because he is only accountable for the funds entrusted to him.
He stated that the development will make local government officials directly accountable to the people.
He said: “Since we came as ministers, I don’t even know how much they get. I’ve never bothered to ask myself. I’m not interested to know.
I have my own allocation, they have their own allocation. And that is why I support Mr President, and I have no apologies to anybody. I have no apologies, that there should be autonomy of local governments.
“What they do with it, let the people ask them. Let them be accountable to the people and let us be accountable to the one that has been given to us.”
While expressing confidence for some of the achievements recorded by the present administration, the minister said the evidence are there for all to see.
He urged residents to pay their ground rents to enable the government fulfil it’s obligations to the people, adding that Abuja’s development is a collective effort.
“That is what I used to do all these roads. No oil in Abuja, the only way we have to provide infrastructure is when you pay your ground rent so we will be able to do these roads.
“Some of you have been saying when you go to Abuja, you will see roads. It’s money we use to construct these roads. So please, I urge you, let us do our own part by paying our ground rents.
When you do your own part, and government does not do their own part, then you can ask questions. You can ask what are you doing with all the taxes that we are paying? We will tell you what we have done, and what we will continue to do with your money you have paid as your taxes.
“When you pay your tax, you have the right to ask questions. What do you do with my money? Nobody will prosecute you for doing that,” he stated.
On the issue of evacuating street beggars from Abuja, the minister said there will be no going back on the decision, as the administration will soon be unveiling a security scheme to end street begging in Abuja.
“On Friday, of course, we’re going to launch another security scheme where we’re going to make sure there are no beggars.
“FCT cannot be overrun by beggars. It is the only city we have in Nigeria to showcase the world, who will allow that?” he said.