By Ben Adoga
The quest of Abuja natives to increase their membership in the National Assembly was brought to the fore Tuesday when the chairman of the FCT traditional rulers council, Ona of Abaji, Dr.Adamu Baba Yunusa addressed Course 44 of NIPSS participants in Abuja.
Yunusa noted that the current two House of Representatives seats and one Senatorial slot in the National Assembly could no longer ensure effective and quality representation of FCT people.
The Senior Executive Course 44 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is on a tour of FCT area councils. There were in Abaji Area Council on Tuesday.
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In his words: ” Statistics have shown that the indigenes and residents of FCT are increasing in number day by day, therefore the two House of Representatives seat and one Senatorial seat could no longer ensure effectively and quality representation of FCT people.
“We are appealing to the government for an additional seat at National Assembly as obtainable in other states of the federation in line with section 299 of the Nigeria Constitution as amended, ‘that we should be treated as if we are one of the states of the federation.
“FCT has no proper political structure to efficiently manage and address the grassroots challenges and underdevelopment. Therefore, there is a need for a second-tier Government in FCT to adequately address the current challenges at the grassroots level”.
The Monarch, however, challenged the authority of the institute to kindly broaden its admission quota so that Traditional Rulers and FCT Area Council Staffs can easily be considered for its admission annually.
This, according to him, is the only way we at the FCT and grassroots can feel belong and our knowledge can be expanded to suit the changing administrative challenges.
Earlier, the leader of the NIPSS delegation, Professor Sunday Ochoche, informed the Ona of Abaji and his chief that the group 5 participants of the 2022 NIPSS Senior Executive Course 44 embarked on the local study tour of FCT for engagement of stakeholders in the governmental processes of local government in FCT.
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He noted that the course 44 has 97 participants divided into groups on a study tour across Nigeria, on the theme: strengthening local governance in Nigeria; challenges, options, and opportunities.
According to him, the participants cut across the Military, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police, state governments, and private sector amongst others, with the view to help solve some national issues.
The delegation also met with officers and men of the 176 Guards Battalion Barracks, which covers four out of the six area councils in the Territory, with exception of AMAC and Bwari respectively.
The participants were led by the NIPSS Directing staff who met with the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Hon. Abdulrahman Ajiya had kicked off the tour at the Kuchigoro primary healthcare center, in AMAC as well as inspected the FCT Fadama project at Gada Biu, in Abaji.
Also, the delegation met with officers and men of the 176 Guards Battalion Barracks, which covers four out of the six area councils in the Territory, with exception of AMAC and Bwari.
