2nd Abuja Runway: FG Acquires 12,000 Hectares Of Land

The Federal Government on Thursday acquired 12,000 hectares of land from Jiwa Community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) for the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. This follows the payment of N825.8 million as compensation to people of the community to enable contractors move to site for the construction of the 4.2km runway. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, revealed this at the official handing over of the site to the federal government as well as the contractor China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) commended the people of the community  He noted that the country has been looking forward to the construction of a second runway for the past two decades since the administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo and successive administrations have not been able to put it into reality. Keyamo stated that a second runway will further open more opportunities for both the community and Nigeria as well as bigger aircraft will be able to land, more commercial activities around the area. He said “For those that have lost farms, houses, and other means of livelihoods, I can assure you that you will gain more by the time the project comes to fruition.” ‘For the contractors I want to tell you that youths in this communities are able bodies I would like to hear that workers, artisans, labourers are been brought from other place to work with them, youths in the community must be considered first’ “If you don’t take them I will join them to protest, I will lead the protest against you, our eyes are on you, consider the sons and daughters of this community in your work,” he stated. While reacting, the Emir of Jiwa, HRM Alh Idris Yinusa said the compensation paid to them is nothing compared to what they have lost but there is nothing they can do as public interest overrides personal interest. He said, “My farm also affected, despite how big the farm was, meagre compensation was paid to me. I want to use this medium to say sorry to you and urge you to exercise patience; if there is anything to do about it we could have done it. He however appealed to the National Assembly to increase the amount of money paid as compensation to indigenes,  “If they don’t charge what is being paid many people will die, the money given to us is not okay for feeding, not to talk of training our children,” he stated. For instance, one person with about 30 children could get about N1million as compensation, he may end up sharing it at N200 to N10,000 and there is nothing we can do but the house of assembly needs to revise the current module of payment. The Emir called on CCECC to ensure that they prioritize their people when giving people work, because I would not like when our people start protesting we have many unemployed youths, so the contractor don’t need to look elsewhere  “We know the Aviation University is still coming up and a lot of work will be there. So wish the people with cooperate and work with the government so that we can achieve much,” he stated

AMAC, FCT IRS on collision course over double taxation

The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies and relevant authorities to intervene in calling the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT IRS) to order with regards to the collection of revenue belonging to the council.  Speaking to newsmen Tuesday at AMAC headquarters, Maikalangu, who was represented by the Supervisory Councilor for Special Duties, Mr Emmanuel Inyang, said that AMAC has not signed any agreement with FCT IRS with regards to revenue collection. Maikalangu said that, even at a recent townhall meeting organized by FCT IRS for the six area councils in the FCT, with the aim of revenue harmonisation, the Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Dr Olusade Adesola, said he was the driver of revenue harmonisation, but left the meeting halfway and hence unable to answer questions, leading to the inability to reach any consensus. The AMAC chairman said FCT IRS was harassing AMAC and FCT residents with the aim of their paying the same taxes they had already paid to AMAC, thereby opening ways to double taxation. He said that the court had already ruled that AMAC should not pass over the role of revenue collection to a third party, hence the need for FCT IRS to explain from where it derived its powers to be collecting revenue on behalf of AMAC. Maikalangu said that FCT IRS is preparing way for anarchy and a breakdown of law and order by harassing AMAC residents for revenue, including the “Park and Pay” policy that is the duty of AMAC. The Council Chairman, therefore, urged President Tinubu and concerned authorities to, as a matter of urgency, call the FCT IRS to order before it plunges AMAC and the FCT into anarchy by harassing residents to pay taxes they had already paid to AMAC, even as far back as 2010. Maikalangu said that the council remains law abiding and hence will not take laws into its hands, but warned that the council will not sit idly and watch FCT IRS engage in illegalities such as collecting revenue meant for AMAC. Maikalangu advised residents not to pay revenue to agents purporting to be FCT IRS, otherwise they will pay double as only revenue paid into AMAC account will be acceptable. In the same breath, Maikalangu urged AMAC residents not to pay revenue to FCT IRS, but to challenge any official from the Service to go to court for an order that will explain how it came about collecting revenue for AMAC. 

AMAC kicks off distribution of fertilizers, inputs to farmers

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Mr. Christopher Maikalangu, has distributed fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to 500 farmers across the twelve wards in the Area Council. He made the donation at the kick-off of the 2023 farming season in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Saturday in Abuja. The donated items include; 600 bags of fertilizers, agrochemicals, 20 wheelbarrows, nap sack sprayers, smoking kilns, hoes, cutlasses, rain boots, and hand gloves. Two motorcycles were given to two agriculture extension workers in the area council. Maikalangu said the items were meant to encourage farmers to boost their production and promote sales of farm produce in the council. He said that the area council had put in a deliberate policy direction that aims at improving the capacity of farmers and investing in the agriculture sector. Maikalangu also said that the donation was part of his campaign promises of improving the livelihoods of AMAC residents. “Agriculture is a panacea to social vices, therefore we should encourage our youth to engage themselves in agricultural activities because idleness is very dangerous. “Due to the urban renewal policy program of the FCT, most of our farmlands have been taken over by developers. Our farmers can no longer access farmlands for their subsistence farming and for other agricultural purposes. “This has greatly affected the growth of agriculture in the council which is one of the viable economic empowerment of our people. “I want to make a passionate appeal to FCTA on our need for integrated demonstration farmland in the council, this will help boost agricultural production in AMAC,” he said. He urged the beneficiaries to resist the temptation of selling the items given to them. Mr Musa John, a beneficiary, appreciated the chairman for the items adding that it would go a long way in boosting his agriculture output this year. “I want to appreciate the chairman for what he donated to us. I will ensure that I make use of these items judiciously,” he said.