Residents comparing Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Bala Mohammed, with his predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai, are being urged to perish the thought because money is thin these days to build infrastructure.
El-Rufai is now in the greener pasture of contesting for the Kaduna State governorship ticket on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) Coordinator, Rueben Okoya, who made the plea, said allocation from the national purse is miniscule, unlike when El-Rufai was in charge.
He disclosed that in the last year of the El-Rufai administration, the budget for projects was N150 billion, but in the last year of Mohammed’s tenure it is N30 billion.
“How can you compare those two? It is like comparing apples and oranges. So the amount of work you can do with N150 billion is not the same amount of work you can do with N30 billion.
“Mind you, there is inflation, and N30 billion in 2007 is not the same in 2014. Revenue is dwindling and when you look at Abuja you see projects going on,” explained Okoya, who manages Abuja city.
He described the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the FCT as frightening, putting pressure on overstretched facilities.
“With the unrest in the North East and South South, people are moving to Abuja as a haven. Thousands have moved to Abuja just based on the bombing in Kano on Friday (November 28).
“The number of IDPs we have in this city is frightening, and you cannot drive them away. The churches are under tremendous pressure, the mosques are under tremendous pressure. People come in and go to churches and mosques to seek assistance.”
Okoya restated the commitment of the FCT administration to fully cater for IDPs, but ruled out the creation of a camp, because “if you establish a camp everybody will move to the FCT.”
An estimated 100,000 people come to Abuja every day, with 90 per cent staying put. Historical poor federal allocation has resulted in the failure of most of the six FCT Area Councils to live up to the expectations of residents.
 Minister, Bala Mohammed, with his predecessor, Nasir el-Rufai, are being urged to perish the thought because money is thin these days to build infrastructure.){kind=link}