FCTA to consult ABU on urban renewal, others

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has said the FCT Administration will explore the option of working closely with the Consultancy Services arm of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, for the provision of needed professional expertise.

Bello who made this known during a courtesy call on him by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kabiru Bala, said the FCTA was interested in gaining expertise in urban renewal, town planning, surveying, among others.

He said, “There are lots of areas where we need expertise and I’m sure you will have it, whether it’s in survey, town planning, urban renewal and so on.

“We are trying to encourage and improve on our enforcement activities. For instance, our testing capacities for materials, so that we will be able to test what people are using either in constructing the roads of the FCT or the public buildings and even private buildings. I assure you that we will continue to provide you the needed support by consulting you.”

Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor said that the FCT minister was one of the most distinguished members of the institution’s alumni and the meeting was intended to reach out to members such as him.

He said, “We are lucky to have distinguished members of alumni in this country and in diaspora and they are major stakeholders.

Alumni anywhere in the world are major stakeholders of universities and the Hon. Minister happens to be one of those distinguished members of alumni of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.”

He said the university has capacities that can be exploited through its consultancy services company to generate the much needed revenue and revealed that the ABU had done a lot in the FCT, including its work on its masterplan, development of some districts, town planning and engineering services.