FCT news

COVID-19 FCT Gets N500m UBA Donation To Fight Scourge

Published

5 years ago

March 27, 2020

JOEL AJAYI

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) today received a N500M donation from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to fight the COVID 19 pandemic in Abuja.

Receiving the cheque of N500M from the Vice Chairman of UBA, Ambassador Joe Keshi, who led a delegation of the Bank on a solidarity visit to FCTA, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello said the donation was the first hefty sum received by the FCT Administration since the onset of COVID 19.

Malam Bello who commended UBA for such a generous donation, said the money would serve as a major boost in the efforts by the Administration to nip the spread of the virus in the bud in the FCT. He assured that FCTA was working hand in hand with the NCDC to ensure that the organization gets the necessary working tools.

He said plans were already in motion to grade the road leading to the NCDC testing office in Gaduwa for ease of access, adding that the donation will go a long way to ensure that the job is done as soon as possible.

The Minister who described the Chairman of UBA, Mr. Tony Elumelu as a great philanthropist, said he was not surprised that the Financial Institution was the first to make such a donation to the FCT to help fight the pandemic.

Earlier, the Vice Chairman, Ambassador Keshi said the donation was a part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and a show of support to FCTA in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Keshi expressed concern over the likelihood of a spread in densely populated areas of the country and called on well-meaning Nigerians to join hands to fight the disease.

He said N200M of the sum is being set aside for the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), explaining that the donation was to strengthen the testing capacity of the Centres.

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FCT news

FCT Cleaners Urge Minister Wike to Intervene Over Months of Unpaid Salaries

Published

3 weeks ago

May 13, 2025

The Gleamer

Over 4,500 cleaners working across Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including city cleaners, hospital sanitation workers, satellite town cleaners, and security personnel, have made a passionate appeal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the non-payment of their salaries for the past six to eight months.

The affected workers, who play a critical role in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene across the FCT, including hospitals and public spaces, expressed their deep frustration and hardship due to the prolonged delay in their payments.

Despite working tirelessly under harsh weather conditions to ensure that Abuja and its environs remain clean and habitable, they say their efforts have gone unrewarded.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, the cleaners voiced their disappointment, describing the situation as dire and unsustainable.

Many of them are reportedly struggling to meet basic needs, including food, medical expenses, school fees, and loan repayments.

“We are using this medium to appeal to our amiable FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene and ensure our outstanding salaries are paid.

“We are going through untold hardship. We work day and night, even in dangerous and unhygienic conditions, yet we are not being paid.”

Another affected worker, who asked to remain anonymous, tearfully shared her experience: “We may be doing a ‘dirty job,’ but we do it with all our hearts. It is unfair that we are left unpaid. We are dying in silence—no food for our children, no money for healthcare. We beg the Honourable Minister to come to our aid.”

The cleaners, in their numbers, emphasized that their appeal was not just a demand but a desperate cry for help from workers who feel neglected despite their vital contributions to the FCT’s public health and cleanliness.

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