The African Development Bank (AfDB), has revealed that the bank will invest $250 million in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) water and sanitation integrated project. The project is aimed at improving water supply and sanitation in the satellite towns.
The Senior Director of African Development Bank, Mr. Ebrima Faal, made the revelation in Abuja when he led a six-man delegation to the office of FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu on a courtesy visit.
Faal, also disclosed that the bank will also invest in the development of Abuja Technology Village, adding that a number of studies are ongoing in various components of the integrated project including ICT, fashion and infrastructural development.
He expressed satisfaction that over 20,000 hectares of land had been made available for the development of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) for job creation and poverty reduction in the nation’s capital, stressing that the bank will work with co-financiers to achieve the objectives.
He said: “Giving the nature of the budget both in terms of water and sanitation, we are thinking of working together with the Climate Funds, the Great Climate Funds to come in as co-financiers.”
Faal commended the FCT Administration for the provision of land where the corporate office of the bank was built, just as he described the gesture as a fruitful partnership.
In her response, the FCT Minister of State, Aliyu, assured the delegation that the Administration will key into the project and any other projects that will be beneficial to the residents of the territory, adding that integrated farming programme in the satellite towns will be pursued vigorously by the administration.
“I know that we are very keen to work with you and I have listened to you very carefully to elaborate on some of your projects. We have been working assiduously on the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), and it might interest you to know that a task team is already constituted and besides that, expression of interest is ready for submission.
“If you look at it primarily for all that you have outlined today, the most beneficial for the people of the Federal Capital Territory especially the urban areas or the satellite towns is the integrated farming programme or urban agriculture. We have strategic plans and we are ready to work with you,” she assured.
Source: sunnewsonline
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