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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has initiated the procurement process to award contracts for waste collection, evacuation, and disposal services in the satellite towns.
The Coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department, Abdulkadir Zulkifku, made this disclosure during a waste evacuation exercise in Karu, in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Zulkiflu noted that the previous contractors’ tenure ended in April, and in the meantime, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the clearing of dump sites in the area as a temporary measure.
“So the main purpose of this waste evacuation is that, you know, initially there has been contracts going on here for the duration of three years. I think the contract was awarded since 2022 and the contract elapsed this year in April.
“So we are now carrying out another procurement process for the new award of contracts. And part of the measure that the Honourable Minister said that we should take is to bridge the gap between the procurement process and the award of new contracts that will come.
“And as you can see here, the waste evacuation is taking place, not under any contractor, but under the watch of the Satellite Towns Development Department, FCTA,” he said.
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He explained that waste evacuation will reach as far as Karshi and expressed hope that it will also be extended to other Area Councils.
“The Honorable Minister instructed me, and has given me the direct order to come and start evacuating the waste across this Nyanya Axis down to Karshi. And we are hoping after that, we are still going to look at other area councils, because our main function is to intervene in the critical areas in terms of waste evacuation in the Satellite Towns,” he said.
Zulkiflu further stated that the STDD will appeal to the FCT Minister to consider completely removing the waste collection point, citing the potential health risks it poses to the residents in the area.
“As you can see, this place is designated for a collection point. A collection point is a place whereby all the dumps around a particular area can be brought and be kept there. And as you can see, we don’t have enough space.
“After every one or two minutes, you see people coming here to dump refuse. It would be very nice if this kind of place, in fact, if it can be totally removed, that would have gone a long way. But we are going to appeal to the Honourable Minister to look into that, in collaboration with the Area Councils.
“Because we are looking at the health aspect of the populace around the area. Because this is very, very hazardous. But if there are other alternatives, we can link it up with the Honorable Minister in collaboration with the Area Council,” he stated.
