Reps. Committee urges Bwari Area Council to be prudent in use of public funds

The House of Representatives Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has urged Bwari Area Council to ensure prudent use of public funds in executing projects.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Zephaniah Jisalo, made the call during an official visit to the Chairman of Bwari in FCT, Mr Musa Dikko, on Wednesday.

He said that the purpose of the visit was to inspect projects under Public-Private Partnership (PPP), in addition to ensuring proper utilisation of funds on projects in line with the Due Process and Appropriation Act.

Jisalo said ``members of the Committee have resolved to embark on site inspection of the PPP projects carried out by your council with a view to ensuring that funds appropriated for them are utilised in accordance with the Due Process Law, Financial Regulation Law and Appropriation Act.

``We also want to ensure that the funds appropriated by the National Assembly are deployed to projects that have positive effects on the grassroots.

``We want projects that would fulfill the yearnings of communities through active developmental activities by area councils.''

He gave the assurance that everything would be done to speed up the passage of the 2016 budget of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that had undergone second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.

He lauded the steady progress at Kubwa Modern Market and urged the council to put more effort to ensure it was inaugurated soon.

``The Kubwa market project belongs to Bwari Area Council and we are here to look at the development so far and to me, we are satisfied with the structure.

``The environment and other amenities are certified and our issue is that the management and the Bwari Area Council should come together, so that we can commission the market.''

In his remarks, the Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Mr Musa Dikko, pledged to complete ongoing projects in the area.

He said ``we want to assure you that by the grace of God, we shall not relent in making sure that dividends of democracy reach the grassroots, despite the challenge we are facing.''

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other market projects visited by the Committee were the Olajumoke Akinjide Shopping Arcade in the Dutse Alhaji market.

The market projects were managed by Properties and Estate Limited and Eflaye International Limited.