Hundred days of Hon. Adamu Candido’s stewardship in AMAC, what can we hold on to?

Posted by admin Abuja (FCT), Emeka Oraetoka, Headlines, State News Thursday, October 6th, 2016

HUNDRED DAYS OF HON. ADAMU CANDIDO’S STEWARDSHIP IN AMAC, WHAT CAN WE HOLD ON TO?

Immediately Honorable Adamu Candido assumed office as the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council [AMAC], he initiated a policy of paying the staff of the council their salary arrears, inherited from the past administration through “salary forfeiture” by the political office holders. They complied with the sacrifice directive from the chairman hundred percent. The first two months of Hon. Candido led administration was devoted in settling the salary arrears of the civil servants in the council. The result of this strategic move by Candido’s administration is a motivated and willing civil servants that are ready to contribute their quota towards the success of the All Progressives Congress [APC] administration in AMAC.

Report has it that in one of the months set aside for settling the huge debt overhang, including the salary arrears, Hon. Candido lamented that the council was still left with N3million debt which must be settled. This scenario would have meant that no developmental projects could have taken place, because it is after all obligations have been met that developmental activities could be embarked upon. As if the issue of debt overhang was not enough, the current recession steering Nigeria in the face, of which the AMAC is an integral part of, is another factor that is capable of throwing spanner in the desire of Hon. Candido led AMAC leadership to provide democracy divided to the good people of AMAC.

Despite the identified obstacles on the path of Candido’s leadership, some milestones were still recorded in the past hundred days of APC government in the council. The establishment of AMAC Marshal, a security outfit saddled with the responsibility of ensuring security in the twelve wards that make up AMAC among other things; is perhaps the greatest achievement of the Candido led government in the council. The outfit has in one fell swooped, led to the employment of about three Hundred [300] youths in the council.

The establishment of Abuja Area Council Geographic Information System [AMACGIS] could also be regarded as strategic revenue generating outfit that will add great value to the council. The council is expected to rake in money from the re-certification of lands, shops and warehouses belonging to the council. By far, the most important gain of the establishment of AMACGIS is that land racketeering is a thing of the past. Many unsuspecting buyers of AMAC land had had their hands burnt in the past as they lost their hard earned money to fraudsters, who are in the habit of selling fake land papers to unsuspecting customers. With the sanitization of land acquisition process, through the establishment strong land data base in the council, land transactions in AMAC will now be transparent and tidy.

Physically on ground, Hon. Candido led AMAC government has constructed four boreholes in some wards that are in dire need of water; despite the paucity of fund occasioned by the factors identified earlier. In the period under review, Hon. Candido leadership had also constructed a one and half kilometers stretch of road in Jiwa ward. Also, the council under Hon. Candido leadership has established mobile health centers with the state of the art equipment. For now, three [3] vehicles have been deployed to serve the twelve wards on rapid response basis. With time, it is expected that more vehicles will be deployed for this purpose.

In the period under review, Hon. Candido led AMAC has established ultra modern health care centre in Jiwa ward, to be replicated in other wards without the facility. Hon. Candido led government in AMAC has also conducted series of training for both the line and staff officers in the council. The importance of the training for the civil servants is purely for capacity building with a view to enhancing service delivery. On the other hand, training for the political office holders is aimed at inculcating in the officers, the importance of the CHANGE mantra of the APC administration.

Watchers of political events in AMAC are pleased the gains recorded by Hon. Adamu Candido led administration. They are particularly happy that Candido has established the culture of hard work and discipline in the council. Truancy on the part of staff of the council is no longer tolerated. Hon. Candido administration has also succeeded in reducing the cost of governance. Above all, in-spite of the meager resources available to the council, Candido’s leadership has been able to provide succor in those wards in AMAC, in dire need of it. It is hoped that all the wards in AMAC will benefit tremendously from Hon. Candido’s stewardship at the council in the next three [3] years based on his inclusive leadership and open door policy.

Emeka Oraetoka

Information Management Consultant and Researcher

Wrote in from Garki Abuja

e-mail:[email protected]

GSM: 08056031187, 09039094636.

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