We will ensure Abuja is shut down – FCT Minister
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has vowed to implement the total shut down of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), up to 100 per cent, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari in his speech Sunday.
Speaking at the end a meeting with relevant stakeholders, including security agencies and all the agencies involved in the provision of services, Bello disclosed that all the agencies have been mandated to ensure the implementation of the presidential directive.
The minister said that where the regulations are flouted, security agencies have been empowered to arrest and prosecute the culprit, adding that the FCT administration would not allow few individuals to jeopardize the efforts of government.
Bello explained that the stay-at-home is total because there would be no entry into the FCT, neither would there be an exit of people from the territory within the period of 14 days, adding that residents must stay where they are to avoid spreading the deadly coronavirus.
He maintained that the administration has a robust mechanism to cater for the vulnerable persons in the society, adding that the FCT Palliative Committee has been constituted to be headed by the FCT minister of state, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, with support from the six area council chairmen in the territory, including the traditional rulers.
The minister therefore appealed to residents of the territory to obey the stay-at-home order and to abide by the necessary regulations, except for those that have been exempted from the stay-at-home order.
The sensitisation team yesterday visited the palace of the Aguma of Gwagwalada where they were received by the district head of Gwagwalada town, Alhaji Muhammadu Lakayi on behalf of the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji.
Delivering a speech on behalf of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the team leader, Abdallah Yunus Umar said that the FCT Administration is counting on the traditional rulers to speak to their subjects on all the preventive measures being canvassed by health officials, including frequent hand washing with soap and water and social distancing.
Umar, who spoke in Hausa language, also reiterated the presidential restriction order which requires that all residents should stay in their homes for an initial period of two weeks.
He added that during the period, all commercial activities, social and religious gatherings are prohibited, while the monarchs are expected to transmit these messages to their subjects to ensure strict compliance.
In Zuba, the team was received by the Agora of Zuba, Alhaji Mohammed Bello Umar, with all the district heads and religious leaders in his domain in attendance.
Both monarchs promised to ensure that the FCT minister’s message gets to their subjects through the district Heads and religious leaders.
Another team, led by the chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, also visited the palaces of Sakaruyi of Karu and Chief of Karshi in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), where he delivered the FCT minister’s message to the traditional rulers.
Responding, the Sakaruji of Karu, HRH Emmanuel Kyaute Yepwi, appealed to the FCT minister to reconsider using Karu General Hospital as an isolation centre for patients of the disease.
Yepwi noted that the general hospital is in the heart of the Karu city, adding that coronavirus patients need to be isolated away from the city centre, where they would not spread the disease to other residents
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