MEDIATRACNET
To determine the spread of Federal Government infrastructure across the country, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) is to begin nationwide infrastructure audit for all ongoing and abandoned projects, the Chairman of the Commission, Muheeba Dankaka, has disclosed.
The Chairman who spoke on Wednesday in Calabar, at a sensitisation programme for stakeholders in the South South zone said the nationwide infrastructure audit would help to ascertain and verify the importance of ongoing and abandoned projects and their levels of completion.
”The commission will continue to ensure equity and fairness within the federation and evaluate the spread of socio-economic amenities as represented by the location of projects in Nigeria, and ensure compliance,” she said.
She also noted the level of increasing collaboration with government agencies responsible for providing Socio-Economic amenities and Infrastructural facilities.
Dankaka said interactions with MDAs over the years recordeconsiderable level of acceptance and compliance with the FCC as regards to distribution of bureaucratic posts.
She said it was on that basis the Commission decided to begin the implementation of its second mandate of ensuring equitable distribution of socio-economic amenities and infrastructural facilities nationwide.
“Various MDAs such as Ministry of Transport, Education, Health, Works, Power and Housing, the Bureau of Statistics and Budget Office of the Federation are collaborating with us.
Similarly, she said ad-hoc intervention programmes of the government were now working closely with the Commission on the need to imbibe the spirit of Federal Character as they embark on capital projects across the country..
Again, she said the Commission was open to collaborations and assistance from other government agencies, External Development Partners, Private and Public Sectors, Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Societies Organisations.
“We believe fervently that such collaborations, consultations and synergy with the commission will greatly enhance the achievement of our mandate of ensuring broad-based development of the nation.
“Since the policy thrust of this government is aimed at bringing about integrated and balanced development of the country, it becomes obvious that the twin mandate of the Commission can provide a veritable platform for its actualisation,” she said.
Dankaka however noted that challenges of inadequate data on infrastructure distribution and spread of socio-economic projects in Nigeria made it difficult to appraise even distribution of projects and programmes.
The sensitization workshop was on the theme: “Promoting Peace and National Development Through Equitable Distribution of Socio-Economic Amenities and Infrastructural Facilities Nationwide.”
The workshop was attended by all the Commissioner representing the zone in the Commission as well as representatives of all federal establishments in Cross River State.
