Development: FCT seeks grant from Japan

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Tuesday, expressed hope of attracting part of the $5 billion grant aids being disbursed by Japan through its international cooperation agency for grass-roots' infrastructural projects in developing countries.Already, the agency has approached FCTA for areas it can deploy both financial and technical support to, in the bid to surmount developmental challenge of Abuja.The agency was led by Mitsunori Saito and was received by the Minister of State for State for FCT, Ms Jumoke Akinjide, and the permanent secretary, Mr Anthony Ozodinobi.Exchanging views with the visiting team, Ms Akinjide expressed satisfaction with the agency for extending what she described as a hand of support and friendship to the administration.She said it was only right for multilateral donor agencies in the country to reserve about 70 per cent of their budget for FCT as, according to her, if the territory worked well, then the agencies would equally work satisfactorily.Maintaining that the administration would partner and work with the agency closely to achieve mutual objective, the minister described Abuja as a land of opportunity and one of the world's fastest growing capitals but which was behind in terms of provision of infrastructure.Ms Akinjide acknowledged that challenges besseting Abuja were many, as she said 'we have lots of rural areas without water and this is a great concern to me.'Also, the minister identified sanitation and youths empowerment as challenges to the administration.She noted that waste management and recycling remained areas FCTA and Japan would likely partner, but suggested that both parties formed contact groups to streamline immediate targets, as well as long-term projects.According to her, 'The need is pressing and short is short.'She went further to say, 'I don't see young people as a burden but greatest asset and all that government needs to do is to harness the energy for development.'Earlier, the Mr Saito stated that Nigeria remained third priority country in Africa for the agency.
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