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Any member of the executive committee of the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) who is involved in any form of financial misappropriation will
be handed over to anti corruption agencies, the FCT minister, Bala Muhammed,
said on Monday while swearing in the eight newly appointed members of the
committee yesterday in Abuja.

Seven of the appointees are to serve as secretaries of the mandate
secretariats while the last person is to serve as coordinator of the Abuja
municipal management council.

“Misappropriation, misapplication or outright embezzlement of
public funds or show of unnecessary personal interest will not be tolerated or
will not be taken lightly as I will not hesitate to hand over offenders to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other Related Agencies,” Mr. Muhammed said.

The minister, who was a senator before being his appointment,
dissolved the former committee two weeks ago upon assumption of office. He
challenged the new appointees to work extra hours, saying “we don’t have the
luxury of time. So, we don’t have time for loitering or gossiping or rumour.
What we want is to see concrete and measurable results.”

The minister also cautioned the committee members, saying “I
must warn here that anybody who constitutes himself or herself into a road
block by standing between us and the successful realization of the set objectives
will be shown the way out or dealt with in accordance with the law.”

Amen Alkali, a member of the executive committee, who spoke on
behalf of all of them cautioned those who had been congratulating them on their
appointments.

“I thought they should be praying for us,” he said. “This is
because a heavy responsibility has been bestowed on us. Expectations are high.
Demands are enormous. I hope and I pray that by the time we leave the offices,
people will come around and congratulate us.”

Work with the minister

The executive committee is expected to work with the minister to
achieve the federal government’s goal for the FCT.

Last week, the Senate approved a budget of N362.3billion for the
FCT for the 2010 fiscal year. Mr. Muhammed and his executive committee members
are responsible for managing this sum.

Members of the committee are Olusegun Awolowo, Secretary, Area
Councils Secretariat; Hamza Buwai, Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development
Secretariat; Hussaini Pai, Secretary, Education Secretariat; Blessing Onuh,
Secretary, Social Development.

Others are Ivoke Achara, Secretary, Transportation; Precious
Gbeneol, Secretary, Health and Human Services; Amen Alkali, Secretary, Legal
Services; and Fatima Shettima, Coordinator, Abuja Municipal Management Council.

Former ministers of the FCT, after Nasir El-Rufai, have been
criticized for not doing much to improve the state of Abuja and maintaining its
master plan.

The immediate past minister, Adamu Aliero, a noted member of the
so-called ‘Yar’Adua cabal,’ who was already lobbying to become vice president
until the death of former president, Umaru Yar’Adua was heavily criticized by
many, including both arms of the National Assembly, for erecting road bumps/
speed breakers on roads to the discomfort of Abuja road users.

Mr. Muhammed’s administration has already commenced the removal and
redesigning of the road bumps/ speed breakers.