During an opinion poll conducted by The Hunters newspaper to rate people in the FCT, majority of those who spoke to our correspondent want the replacement of the minister.According to them, he does not have the residents in his minds even when they are clamouring for assistance, he paid deaf ears.
Zaphaniah Abubakar, an indigene who resides in Garki village claimed that the minister does not care whether the indigenes exist or not. “We reside in the city and yet we are lacking the basic amenities. To add insult to the already inflicted injury, he took the allocation meant for the FCT to build hospital for his people in his hometown in Bauchi because he wants to become the governor.
“How do you explain that and nobody is talking; I think that is the greatest height of wickedness. If the minister was a Gwari man, I don't think he would have done such wicked act, by now he would either have been lynched or go to his house to insult him and his family members,” Abubakar concluded.David Nwachukwu, a resident of Nyanya said he is not sure that FCT have a minister because of what they have been suffering in the territory especially in the satellite towns.
According to him, “First, he promised to improve the amenities in the satellite towns through the Satellite Towns Development Authority, STDA but until today, nothing has been done instead, it is some women sweeping the street. Is that our problem? He asked.
“The annoying aspect is that people spend hours from AYA (Asokoro) to Nyanya, Mararaba on daily basis for a journey of 15 minutes and he does not care about that because he stays inside the city. That is mere wickedness.”
Francis Oghenekaro, another resident of Kubwa said the attention of the minister is in the city centre because of eye-service. He wants to satisfy his employer so that he could keep his job.
“Imagine, as big as Kubwa is, there are no vehicles to move around except motorcycles, it is a shame. They sent the mini buses (Araba) parking and did not make provision for the people. The same thing inside the city centre; if not for Keke NAPEP that convey people, people would have been stranded and trekking distances, what a shame for a city that wants to Africa's best capital city or being ranked amongst the best in the world.
“I think the minister should go to South Africa, Turkey, Malaysia even Ghana here and see how they do things and not coming to give us empty promises. Those cities have functional CCTV and other modern equipment,” he angrily concluded.
Janet Okoro, a resident of Gwarinpa said she believes the attention of the minister is focused on 2015 that is why you cannot see any meaningful project that affects the common man positively in the territory. The minister thinks development is all about construction of roads, what a shame. I wonder what the minister of state is doing in office; I think it is a waste of resources.
Okoro noted, “Since Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, we have not had it so good in the FCT. Most of the road projects are in the city centre while the ones in the satellite towns are in terrible shape. The whole place is dirty and people do things anyhow they want but right now, it is the opposite instead our minister is paying money to get awards all over the country rather than channeled such funds to projects, what a pity.
“The annoying aspect is the inhumane way the minister orders the Development Control to demolish people's houses and businesses. El-Rufai had human face, at least he gives several notices before carrying out the demolition but Bala's own, they give 24 hours notice and before it is 12 hours, they have arrived with bulldozer. They don't even allow people to remove their things. It is too bad.”
Gbenga Aderupopo, who resides in Wuse was the only person that commended the minister. Although he complained that the minister has failed in some areas but commended him for the construction of roads in the FCT.
“If I am not mistaken, I think it was Bala that completed the Airport/Kubwa road, it is a world class, I must commend him. I have also seen some other road projects that are about to be completed especially the one that passes through the Force Headquarters, with that, the traffic jam in the city centre would be reduced.
“Crime rate in the city is also at the lowest ebb, I think it is something worth celebrating. Having peaceful atmosphere is something everyone must cherish. My only grudge is the unnecessary and inhumane demolition by the Development Control, the minister should do something about it, it is not encouraging for investors,” he claimed.
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