The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has said the founding fathers’ dream for the territory is for it to be a symbol of unity and indivisibility.
Malam Bello, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin, said this during the commissioning of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT council secretariat yesterday. He said successive administrations have worked hard to uphold the dream of making Abuja a befitting capital city and a symbol of oneness for Nigerians.
“We, as leaders and residents of the FCT today have the responsibility of building on the foundations that have been laid. However, achieving our collective dreams for the FCT must be by conscious and deliberate collaboration of the government and the citizenry.
“A city like an individual needs to be nurtured and cared for as it has the tendency to grow, fall ill, decay and even die. We all must therefore, come together to ensure that Abuja remains just as we all want it to be,” he said.
He appreciated the media for keeping residents informed of events around the territory as well as holding government to account on its responsibilities to the people.
Bello further urged the media to perform its gatekeeping role diligently and expose negative elements working against the collective efforts of building the FCT and Nigeria of the founding fathers’ dream.
The FCT council chairman of the NUJ, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbeche, who spoke earlier, appreciated the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for its support in building the secretariat.
He also thanked the minister for the confidence reposed in journalists by appointing them into positions, appealing that many more journalists should be appointed into positions.