The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has charged the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to reduce cases of drug abuse and addiction.
Bello made the call when receiving a brief from the Secretariat at Abuja on Tuesday.
He urged the Secretariat to brainstorm and find best ways of rehabilitating some of the addicts among who were youths and other vulnerable persons in the society.
He warned that social issues must be approached with the seriousness they deserved because one social problem has multiplier negative effects on the entire society.
“You all have enormous responsibilities with serious financial challenges which desire proactive steps to effectively tackle them.
“You also have to brainstorm on how to efficiently tackle the knotty problems of street beggars, commercial sex workers as well as hawking.”
He noted plots earmarked for sporting facilities in the neighbourhoods had been converted to other uses, adding that something urgent must be done about it.
Bello further urged the secretariat to generate a database of tourism facilities because such facilities would not only provide areas of recreation and sightseeing in and around Abuja but also serve as avenues of generating funds to the government.
Also speaking, the FCT Permanent Secretary urged the directors of the Secretariat to take drastic measures as the professionals to think outside the box, with a view to moving the Secretariat to enviable heights.
He warned that all officers must sit up to deliver quality services that would positively impact on the lives of the residents of the territory.
The Acting Secretary of the secretariat, Alhaji Salisu Kallamu, said that of the 17 Orphanages in the FCT, only one was directly managed by the secretariat.
Meanwhile, the minister also received briefs from the management of the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
He advised the secretariat to reposition and key into the Federal Government’s policy which promotes agriculture and mass food production for the populace.
Bello assured the management of his administration’s resolve to help them achieve the goals of the Federal Government in that sector.
He encouraged them to partner with the area councils in order to carry the people along in all their programmes.
The Minister promised that the FCT Administration would soon pay N113 million being counterpart fund for Fadama III, in order to allow FCTA access more facilities in the programme.
The permanent secretary also asked the secretariat to stop poultry farms in residential areas because of its adverse health implication to human habitation, especially with the re-emergence of Avian Influenza.
He urged them to continue to spur the farmers to greater heights by constantly interfacing with all stakeholders in the farming circle.
(NAN)
