FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has said the FCT Administration needs N2.6 billion to fix 25,462 assets vandalised in the territory. The minister stated this during a town hall meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Abuja.
According to Bello, recent findings showed that 400 foul water manholes covers, 582 storm water covers and 23,210 gully pot covers have been vandalised.. He mentioned others to be 467 water board inspection chamber covers, 47 fire hydrant covers and 756 telecom duct covers.
The minister frowned at public assets destruction saying it constitutes a serious health and security challenges in the FCT. He said the destruction of water board inspection chamber covers have had adverse effect on water supply in Nigeria’s capital city.
He said, “Just by way of statistics, a few weeks ago we did some checks and we realised that we needed to replace immediately 400 manholes cover, 582 storm water covers, 23,210 gully pot covers, 467 water board inspection chamber covers, 47 fire hydrant covers, and 756 telecom duct covers. Overall, we are talking of over 25,000 covers of one form or the other and these are critical public assets. This is just one aspect. Any of the street you notice blackout sometimes and you think it is public blackout, it is not. It (blackout) occurs simply because somebody decides to dig out the cables,”
He however called on security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and not see vandalism of public assets as minor crime because it constitutes threat to lives.
“It is very important that going forward security agencies should consider that very important. The FCTA had banned scavengers for almost five years now,’’ he added.
