The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has enjoined residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to rededicate and re-commit themselves to building the FCT of their dreams.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of State for FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, who represented Bello gave the advice at Old Parade Ground, Garki Abuja where the 59th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, was held on Tuesday.
He enjoined the residents to initiate community action, galvanise and mobilise the citizenry to actualise the true ideals of the FCT.
Bello noted that the development of the FCT had not been free of challenges, many of which spring up from lack of enough commitment of residents to the ideals of which the territory was founded.
He said: ”Let all of us, therefore, use the occasion and opportunity of our 59th Independence Anniversary to rededicate and re-commit ourselves to building the FCT of our dreams.
“It will gladden me as I have no doubt it will gladden the hearts of our founding fathers because it will be the realisation of their dreams, if every resident of the FCT truly regards the territory as home and will treat here as such.
“For far too long, many residents of the FCT consider her as simply a location where they live out of necessity to make a living, while their hearts lie somewhere else.
“I must say that for the FCT to really make the dreams of her founders become a reality and truly become a home for all Nigerians, we must treat her the way we treat the homes in which we live daily.
“I have often times said that as residents of the FCT we owe ourselves and indeed the entire country to treat it as our one true home.
“It is a statement of fact that there now exists a generation of Nigerians who know no other home but the FCT. They were born in Abuja, schooled in Abuja, currently employed in Abuja and have started their own families here in Abuja.”
Bello assured residents of FCT of adequate security of lives and properties. He noted that though no city could be completely free of crimes but that the relentless efforts of the security agencies and the FCT administration, had reduced tremendously the rate of crime. (Daily Post)