Suspend Land Swap Initiative Resumption, CITAD Begs FG

TECH DIGEST – The Centre For Information Technology And Development, CITAD, has urged the Federal government to immediately suspend the resumption of land swap initiative in the federal capital territory.

CITAD made the call during a press briefing in Abuja.

In the last two years, rural communities within federal capital territory have been battling with several challenges of land grabbing that is taken place in their community
Which makes many farmers to lose their land resulted to major threat in food security not only in FCT but all over the country.

Mr. Mubarak EKute, CITAD sponsorship officer, Abuja spoke during a press briefing, He said: “The FCT rural communities who are land owners and therefore likely to be dispossessed by the initiative were not consulted before the decision to resume the initiative was taken.

“Government has not explain how in the current phase, corruption would be put at bay and how the interests of rural communities would be taken into account in the new phase of the initiative.

“Government has not address any complaints of land grabbing and land misappropriation and dispossession that occurred in the earlier phase for which FCT rural communities have been the major victims”.He added

In conclusion, Mr Mubarak advises the government to further suspend the resumption of the land swap initiative until: “It has carry out consultations among the citizens of the FCT, particularly rural dwellers and Come up with concrete and realistic plan for addressing rural infrastructure, not just infrastructure with the FCT urban area.

INFOMEDIA – The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, has faulted the FG’s plan to resume land swap initiative.The dissatisfaction was contained in a press statement signed by Mubarak Ekute for the organization. The statement reads in part, “The Federal Executive Council at the end of its meeting announced that it was resuming the Land Swap Initiative that was earlier suspended by the government.

The objective of the initiative according to government is to address infrastructure gaps in the FCT by providing land to investors who in return will finance infrastructure rollout.” “CITAD has over the last two years engaged rural communities of the FCT who are extremely concerned about the phenomenon of land grabbing that is taking place in their communities. Many have lost their land which as farmers, is their only means of livelihood.

The  Land grabbing is a major threat to food security not only in FCT but all over the country.” The organization noted that it is happy to see infrastructure deficit addressed in the Federal Capital Territory but aired concerns on the land swap initiative.

While CITAD is happy to see infrastructure deficit is being addressed in the FCT rural communities, it would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the following with respect to the land swap initiative: “The FCT rural communities who are land owners and therefore likely to be dispossessed by the initiative were not consulted before the decision to resume the initiative was taken. “Government has not made public its findings of investigation of the operation of the Land Swap as it suspected that it was riddled with corruption.

“Government has not explain how in the current phase, corruption would be put at bay and how the interests of rural communities would be taken into account in the new phase of the initiative.

“Government has not address any complaints of land grabbing and land misappropriation and dispossession that occurred in the earlier phase for which FCT rural communities have been the major victims.

“FCT rural communities did not benefit in terms of infrastructure development in the earlier phase, this has led many of the communities hard to reach due to the lack of roads; there is no drinking water; rural schools are scandalous sites and healthcare facilities do not exist.”

The centre advised the government to suspend the land swap so as to allow for consultations particularly rural dwellers and come up with a plan for assessing rural infrastructures.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, has reacted to Federal Executive Council, FEC, approval for the Federal Capital Authority Development, FCDA, land swap initiative but cautioned that land grabbing, which the initiative was certain to promote, will serve as the major threat to food security in Nigeria.

Recall that the Federal Executive Council, at the end of its meeting, had announced that it was resuming the Land Swap Initiative, which government earlier suspended, disclosing that the “objective of the initiative is to address infrastructure gaps in the FCT by providing land to investors who in return will finance infrastructure rollout.”

However, in a statement by the Sponsorship Officer of the Abuja office, Mubarak Ekute and made available to ASHENEWS on Thursday, CITAD said that its two years of engagement with the rural communities in the FCT reveals that they are “extremely concerned about the phenomenon of land grabbing that is taking place in their communities.

“Many have lost their land which as farmers, is their only means of livelihood. Land grabbing is a major threat to food security not only in FCT but all over the country,” the Centre stated.

Though excited to see that infrastructure deficit is being addressed in the FCT rural communities, CITAD drew the attention of the concerned authorities to certain issues relating to to the land swap initiative.

“The FCT rural communities who are land owners and therefore likely to be dispossessed by the initiative were not consulted before the decision to resume the initiative was taken.

“Government has not made public its findings of investigation of the operation of the Land Swap as it suspected that it was riddled with corruption.

“Government has not explain how in the current phase, corruption would be put at bay and how the interests of rural communities would be taken into account in the new phase of the initiative.

“Government has not address any complaints of land grabbing and land misappropriation and dispossession that occurred in the earlier phase for which FCT rural communities have been the major victims.

“FCT rural communities did not benefit in terms of infrastructure development in the earlier phase, this has led many of the communities hard to reach due to the lack of roads; there is no drinking water; rural schools are scandalous sites and healthcare facilities do not exist,” the statement reads.

CITAD advised Nigerian government to further suspend the resumption of the land swap initiative until:

“It has carried out consultations among the citizens of the FCT, particularly rural dwellers and come up with concrete and realistic plan for addressing rural infrastructure, not just infrastructure with the FCT urban area.

“It makes public the report of its investigation of the abuses of the initiative in the first phase, leading to its suspension and propose clear, adequate and realistic measures to stop and mitigate the problems of land grabbing in the FCT rural communities,” the Centre said.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has faulted the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the Land Swap Initiative of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

 The  non- governmental organisation working to ensure good governance through the use of information and communication technologies for peaceful coexistence and sustainable development made its stance known on Thursday in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, a copy of which was obtained by Humanity Watch obtained.

 The FEC had at the end of its meeting on Wednesday announced that it was resuming the FCT  Land Swap Initiative that was earlier suspended by the government following allegations of corruption.

According to the FEC, the objective of the initiative is to address infrastructure gaps in the FCT by providing land to investors who in return will finance infrastructure rollout.

Worth about N1 trillion under the previous dispensation, the initiative was designed to remedy the infrastructure deficit in the FCT by swapping land with private investors who would in turn provide the necessary infrastructure.

 However,  CITAD says it is concerned that the  initiative would further encourage land grabbing which has dispossessed  many indigenes of their farmland,  as it advised the government to  suspend the resumption of the land swap initiative until it can guarantee that the initiative will not be another avenue for corruption in the FCT land administration system.

 The statement signed by the organization’s Sponsorship Officer, Mubarak Ekute says: “CITAD has over the last two years engaged rural communities of the FCT who are extremely concerned about the phenomenon of land grabbing that is taking place in their communities.

 “Many have lost their land which as farmers,  it is their only means of livelihood.  Land grabbing is a major threat to food security not only in FCT but all over the country.”

 The statement said while CITAD is happy to see infrastructure deficit  being addressed in the FCT, it  is concerned that the FCT rural communities who are landowners and therefore likely to be dispossessed by the initiative, were not consulted before the decision to resume the initiative was taken.

 “Government has not made public its findings of an investigation of the operation of the Land Swap as it suspected that it was riddled with corruption. Government has not  explain how in the current phase of the initiative, corruption would be put at bay and how the interests of rural communities would be taken into account in the new phase of the initiative.”

 “Government has not address any complaints of land grabbing, land misappropriation and dispossession that occurred in the earlier phase for which FCT rural communities have been the major victims.”

“FCT rural communities did not benefit in terms of infrastructure development in the earlier phase, this has led many of the communities hard to reach due to the lack of roads; there is no drinking water; rural schools are scandalous sites and healthcare facilities do not exist,” the statement read.

 The organisation therefore, advised the government to suspend the resumption of the land swap initiative until: “It has carried out consultations among the citizens of the FCT, particularly rural dwellers, and come up with concrete and realistic plan for addressing rural infrastructure, not just infrastructure with in the FCT urban area.”

 CITAD also advised the government to make public report of its investigation of the abuses of the initiative in the first phase leading to its suspension and propose clear, adequate and realistic measures to stop and mitigate the problems of land grabbing in the FCT rural communities.

NEWS DIGEST – The Centre for Information Technology and Development have issued an advisory on safety protocols In Kano Secondary schools, this was revealed in a statement signed by Ali Sabo, Campaign and Communication Officer at the CITAD. The statement read in part we are all aware that Covid-19 has become a threat to our lives, economy, social, education as well as every aspect of our lives. As of yesterday, 31st January, 2021, it has been reported that more than 100 million individuals have been infected with this deadly virus with more than 2.2 million casualties globally (Aljazeera English). In Nigeria, as reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) so far the country has 131,242 confirmed cases with 1,586 casualties. While speaking on the source of the virus, it was noted that while the source of origin and transfer to humans is not known, human transfer has been confirmed widely. “The coronavirus virus (COVID-19) is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in Wuhan, China in 2019 and spread around the world. Genomic analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is phylogenetically related to severe acute respiratory syndrome-like (SARS-like) bat viruses, therefore bats could be the possible primary reservoir. The intermediate source of origin and transfer to humans is not known, however, the rapid human to human transfer has been confirmed widely. COVID-19 made its official landing in Nigeria on 27th February, 2020 via Lagos and spread across the country like wildfire”. CITAD recalled that the Kano State Government heeded the calls made by different stakeholders in the state, after receiving a green light from the Federal Government for all schools in the country to resume academic activities, the state government set up a committee under the chairmanship of the States Deputy Governor who is the Chairman States Task Force Committee on Covid-19. The Committee was saddled with the responsibilities of coming up with strategies and road map on how the schools would be reopened in the state. Some of the policies came up with by the committee for schools including Islamiyya schools in the state included; That, Primary 1 and 2 pupils were to attend classes only on Mondays and Tuesdays while Primary 3, 4 and 5 pupils will attend classes only on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Also, JSS 1 and SS1 students in both public and private schools are to wait at home for additional five weeks until the end of transitional and qualifying examinations to ensure social distances in classes and hostels. In the same vain, JSS 2, JSS 3 & SS 2 were to fully resume in preparation of the forthcoming qualifying and transitional examinations among other recommendations such as compulsory wearing of face mask, social distancing . CITAD noted that during the first reopening, a survey was conducted to assess the compliance of these Covid-19 safety protocols in the secondary schools in the state as prescribed by the state Task Force Committee on Covid-19. This was done with support of MacArthur Foundation and International Institute of Education on the 25th and 26th of November, 2020 . 60 secondary schools were captured by the state. According to Ali, “ The essence of conducting the survey was to: ascertain the level of compliance with the Covid-19 safety protocols in schools as prescribed by Kano State government and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), understand the gaps that are in existence in terms of complying with the Covid-19 protocols in the schools, generate data that will be used to advocate to concerned authorities for proper action as it has been proven that Covid-19 is a disease that can be transferred easily between person to person by either contact with persons, objects or through fluid. For the sampling of the schools, the survey sampled 60 schools, 20 schools each from the three zones (Kano Centre, Kano North and Kano West) in the state which comprised senior and junior secondary schools, science, conventional, special schools, girls, boys and mixed schools in the state” CITAD listed some of their findings as below; That there is little observance of social distancing in class rooms, dormitories, sporting arenas and dining halls. Also, Hand sanitizers are only being provided at the gates of the schools, students are required to wash their hands at the gates but the use of hand sanitizers in classes, hostels and schools premises is minimal as at the time of the research. Class rooms, hostels, dining, laboratories and other facilities are not being disinfected regularly; Temperature check for visitors and students temperature at the gate of the schools is compulsory ; Thermometers for temperature checks are not adequate, The report noted. While wearing of facemask was said to be compulsory, Students compliance of wearing of Face masks in the schools premises is very minimal and the authorities are not enforcing it “Teachers are not complying with social distancing and wearing of Face masks; Teachers were properly being sensitized about the importance of observing Covid-19 protocols but students were not being sensitized properly; There is poor or no mechanisms in place by the government to ensure compliance with the directed protocols in school; Schools are poorly financed to provide adequate availability of hand sanitizers and Face masks for students and staff on a daily basis ; There have not been sufficient public awareness and sensitization programmes in many of the schools and among the students, there is still doubt about the reality of COVID 19” Based on the above findings CITAD called on the Kano State Government to ensure the prompt implementation of the following recommendations in order to safeguard the lives of both students and their teachers: 1. The state government should provide more structures in schools to minimize congestion in the class rooms and hostels 2. The State government should provide adequate protective materials such as hand sanitizers, Face masks, thermometers and disinfection materials. This can be done through mass purchase and distribution of these to the schools 3. More sensitization to the teachers and students on the importance of observing Covid-19 protocols 4. Schools authorities should ensure the enforcement of all Covid-19 protocols in their schools by setting a Covid-19 Task Force Committee in their schools 5. There should be regular disinfection of classes, staff rooms, dining halls and students hostels 6. The Ministry of Education should establish a mechanism that will go to schools to observe compliance with the protocols. This mechanism can be an add up function for the School Inspectorate Department. However, in this case schools inspection must be regular 7. There should be sustained sensitization to reach all the schools in the state so that all students, teachers and other workers or members of school communities are aware about COVID 19 and know how to protect themselves as well as stop its spread through their action. Sharing of the findings of the survey has become more urgent given the reality of the second wave which has made the state government to ask workers below grade level 12 to stay at home. If government is so concerned about controlling the spread of the virus at work places which have more spaces for social distancing and with individual workers capable of affording to use face masks and hand sanitizers, it is curious that schools should on the other hand reopen. Our schools are not in a position to enforce social distancing given the crowding in the schools. They cannot afford to provide face masks for pupils nor is government providing the schools with adequate and regular supply of hand sanitizers. Parents and guardians, under the present circumstance cannot be expected to bear this burden. The statement read in its closing part.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development have issued an advisory on safety protocols In Kano Secondary schools, this was revealed in a statement signed by Ali Sabo, Campaign and Communication Officer at the CITAD.
The statement read in part we are all aware that Covid-19 has become a threat to our lives, economy, social, education as well as every aspect of our lives.

As of yesterday, 31st January, 2021, it has been reported that more than 100 million individuals have been infected with this deadly virus with more than 2.2 million casualties globally (Aljazeera English). In Nigeria, as reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) so far the country has 131,242 confirmed cases with 1,586 casualties
While speaking on the source of the virus, it was noted that while the source of origin and transfer to humans is not known, human transfer has been confirmed widely.

“The coronavirus virus (COVID-19) is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in Wuhan, China in 2019 and spread around the world. Genomic analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is phylogenetically related to severe acute respiratory syndrome-like (SARS-like) bat viruses, therefore bats could be the possible primary reservoir. The intermediate source of origin and transfer to humans is not known, however, the rapid human to human transfer has been confirmed widely. COVID-19 made its official landing in Nigeria on 27th February, 2020 via Lagos and spread across the country like wildfire”

.
CITAD recalled that the Kano State Government heeded the calls made by different stakeholders in the state, after receiving a green light from the Federal Government for all schools in the country to resume academic activities, the state government set up a committee under the chairmanship of the States Deputy Governor who is the Chairman States Task Force Committee on Covid-19.
The Committee was saddled with the responsibilities of coming up with strategies and road map on how the schools would be reopened in the state. Some of the policies came up with by the committee for schools including Islamiyya schools in the state included;
That, Primary 1 and 2 pupils were to attend classes only on Mondays and Tuesdays while Primary 3, 4 and 5 pupils will attend classes only on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Also, JSS 1 and SS1 students in both public and private schools are to wait at home for additional five weeks until the end of transitional and qualifying examinations to ensure social distances in classes and hostels. In the same vain, JSS 2, JSS 3 & SS 2 were to fully resume in preparation of the forthcoming qualifying and transitional examinations among other recommendations such as compulsory wearing of face mask, social distancing .

CITAD noted that during the first reopening, a survey was conducted to assess the compliance of these Covid-19 safety protocols in the secondary schools in the state as prescribed by the state Task Force Committee on Covid-19.
This was done with support of MacArthur Foundation and International Institute of Education on the 25th and 26th of November, 2020 . 60 secondary schools were captured by the state.
According to Ali,

“ The essence of conducting the survey was to: ascertain the level of compliance with the Covid-19 safety protocols in schools as prescribed by Kano State government and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), understand the gaps that are in existence in terms of complying with the Covid-19 protocols in the schools, generate data that will be used to advocate to concerned authorities for proper action as it has been proven that Covid-19 is a disease that can be transferred easily between person to person by either contact with persons, objects or through fluid. For the sampling of the schools, the survey sampled 60 schools, 20 schools each from the three zones (Kano Centre, Kano North and Kano West) in the state which comprised senior and junior secondary schools, science, conventional, special schools, girls, boys and mixed schools in the state”

CITAD listed some of their findings as below;

That there is little observance of social distancing in class rooms, dormitories, sporting arenas and dining halls. Also, Hand sanitizers are only being provided at the gates of the schools, students are required to wash their hands at the gates but the use of hand sanitizers in classes, hostels and schools premises is minimal as at the time of the research.
Class rooms, hostels, dining, laboratories and other facilities are not being disinfected regularly; Temperature check for visitors and students temperature at the gate of the schools is compulsory ; Thermometers for temperature checks are not adequate,The report noted.

While wearing of facemask was said to be compulsory, Students compliance of wearing of Face masks in the schools premises is very minimal and the authorities are not enforcing it
“Teachers are not complying with social distancing and wearing of Face masks; Teachers were properly being sensitized about the importance of observing Covid-19 protocols but students were not being sensitized properly; There is poor or no mechanisms in place by the government to ensure compliance with the directed protocols in school; Schools are poorly financed to provide adequate availability of hand sanitizers and Face masks for students and staff on a daily basis ; There have not been sufficient public awareness and sensitization programmes in many of the schools and among the students, there is still doubt about the reality of COVID 19”

Based on the above findings CITAD called on the Kano State Government to ensure the prompt implementation of the following recommendations in order to safeguard the lives of both students and their teachers:

1. The state government should provide more structures in schools to minimize congestion in the class rooms and hostels

2. The State government should provide adequate protective materials such as hand sanitizers, Face masks, thermometers and disinfection materials. This can be done through mass purchase and distribution of these to the schools

3. More sensitization to the teachers and students on the importance of observing Covid-19 protocols

4. Schools authorities should ensure the enforcement of all Covid-19 protocols in their schools by setting a Covid-19 Task Force Committee in their schools

5. There should be regular disinfection of classes, staff rooms, dining halls and students hostels

6. The Ministry of Education should establish a mechanism that will go to schools to observe compliance with the protocols. This mechanism can be an add up function for the School Inspectorate Department. However, in this case schools inspection must be regular

7. There should be sustained sensitization to reach all the schools in the state so that all students, teachers and other workers or members of school communities are aware about COVID 19 and know how to protect themselves as well as stop its spread through their action.

Sharing of the findings of the survey has become more urgent given the reality of the second wave which has made the state government to ask workers below grade level 12 to stay at home. If government is so concerned about controlling the spread of the virus at work places which have more spaces for social distancing and with individual workers capable of affording to use face masks and hand sanitizers, it is curious that schools should on the other hand reopen. Our schools are not in a position to enforce social distancing given the crowding in the schools. They cannot afford to provide face masks for pupils nor is government providing the schools with adequate and regular supply of hand sanitizers. Parents and guardians, under the present circumstance cannot be expected to bear this burden. The statement read in its closing part.

A Civil Society Organisation, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged Kano State government to close schools for some months due to surging daily coronavirus infections.

According to the CSO, the Kano state government has not put enough measures in place to stop the spread of the virus in schools after reopening last month.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, the CITAD Coordinator onCOVID-19 Protocol, Ali Sabo  expressed dismay over the violation of COVID-19 Protocol in most Schools in Kano especially classrooms which are overcrowded, therefore no room for social distance to be enforced.

Solacebase reports that on Sunday 31th January, Kano recorded additional 40 cases of  COVID-19 infections with 2 death.

Ali Sabo said following an assessment and survey carried out by CITAD on COVID-19 protocols in some schools, it has discovered that most schools were not ready for safe reopening.

‘’It is surprising that Kano State Government ordered civil servants to stay at home over the rising second wave of COVID-19 with exception of schools, do people overcrowd offices like students overcrowd classes, Sabo asked?

“Our concern came amid increasing COVID-19 cases and deaths, in the state and country at large, Sabo added.”

CITAD also advised Kano state government to provide more structures in public schools to minimize overcrowding in classrooms and hostels.

However, speaking to Solacebase on the development, Kano State Commissioner for Education, Malam, Muhammad Sanusi Kiru said the state government is not ready to close schools over COVID-19.

Kiru said apart from the state inspectorate division, the federal government team saddled with monitoring, compliance with the protocol and guidelines on COVID-19 protocol have not found our schools wanting.

‘’We believe that as an observer, we ought to have been contacted on what they discovered in our schools before going to the press and calling for schools closure over their findings, with these they are not fair to the education sector,’’ Kiru lamented.

On the issue of overcrowding in schools, the commissioner said that is expected considering the free and compulsory education introduced in the state.

‘’Naturally, you know that enrolment is high and construction of schools or rehabilitation is an annual event, it is something that is inserted in the budget. We are just in the new year, so whatever project we have in the budget, funds are expected to be released anytime from now.’’

‘’Kano has the highest rate of schools enrolment in the country and we have to look at our peculiarity.’’

By Yakubu Salisu, Kano

Centre for Information Technology (CITAD) has decried what it describe poor compliance of Covid 19 protocols in Kano State Secondary Schools thereby exposing students, teachers and other staffs to the risk of contacting the deadly virus.

The Kano Based Non Governmental Organization made this known on Monday during a press conference to make public it’s findings after the Centre with the support of MacArthur Foundation and International Institute of Education conducted a survey to assess the compliance of Covid 19 safety protocols in secondary schools in the State as prescribed by the State Task Force Committee on Covid-19.

According to the Coordinator, Covid-19 Project, CITAD, Ali Sabo, the survey which was carried out in 60 Secondary Schools in the State the Centre found out that there is little observance of social distancing in classrooms, dormitories, sporting arenas and dining halls, while hand sanitizers are only being provided at the gates of the schools but the use of the sanitizers is minimal in other areas of the schools.

Other findings include; failure on the part of teachers to observe social distancing and wearing of face masks, inadequate thermometers for temperature checks, poor or no mechanisms in place by the state government to ensure compliance with the directed protocols in schools.

Furthermore, that schools are poorly financed to provide adequate hand sanitizers and face masks for students and staff on daily basis, insufficient public awareness and sensitization programs in many of the schools and among the students, which still leads to doubt about the reality of Covid-19 amongst the students and teachers.

Sabo said that, their findings indicated that conditions are basis uniform across different types of schools and across different zones of the State that it would appear that the non-compliance with key aspects of the protocols is largely due to the inability of either schools or the students to provide for themselves on protection means such as face masks and hand sanitizers.

The Coordinator explained that based on their findings the Centre call on the State Government to ensure the prompt implementation of the following recommendations in order to safeguard the lives of both students and their teachers; that the state government should provide more structures to minimize congestion in class rooms and hostels, adequate protective materials should be provided.

School authorities should ensure the enforcement of all Covid-19 protocols in their schools by setting up a Covid-19 Task Force Committee in their Schools and there should be regular disinfection of classes, staff rooms, dinning halls and students’ hostels.

Other recommendations include; sustained sensitization to reach all the schools in the State, the State Ministry should establish a mechanism that will go to schools to observe compliance with the protocols.

Speaking further, Ali stated that the Centre finds it difficult to understand the rationale behind the State Government’s decision to keep it civil servants below grade level 12 at home and ask students to resume school where by should a child be infected, such a child is capable of infecting an entire family.

He said CITAD is following with keen interest development in the State Secondary Schools as regards the Covid-19 and would suggest a closure should the situation warrant that because an infected child could infected not just only his or her family alone but a whole lots of other persons.

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has advised the government to suspend resumption of the land swap initiative until it has carried out consultations among citizens of the FCT.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Sponsorship Officer CITAD, Abuja Office, Mubarak Ekute and made available to Newsdiaryonline.

Recall that yesterday, the Federal Executive Council at the end of its meeting announced that it was resuming the Land Swap Initiative that was earlier suspended by the government.

The objective of the initiative according to government is to address infrastructure gaps in the FCT by providing land to investors who in return will finance infrastructure rollout.

Ekute noted that CITAD has over the last two years engaged rural communities of the FCT who are extremely concerned about the phenomenon of land grabbing that is taking place in their communities.

He lamented that many have lost their land which as farmers, is their only means of livelihood.  Land grabbing is a major threat to food security not only in FCT but all over the country.

He said,”While CITAD is happy to see infrastructure deficit being addressed in the FCT rural communities, it would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the following with respect to the land swap initiative:

“The FCT rural communities who are land owners and therefore likely to be dispossessed by the initiative were not consulted before the decision to resume the initiative was taken.

“Government has not made public its findings of investigation of the operation of the Land Swap as it suspected that it was riddled with corruptionGovernment has not explain how in the current phase, corruption would be put at bay and how the interests of rural communities would be taken into account in the new phase of the initiative.

“Government has not address any complaints of land grabbing and land misappropriation and dispossession that occurred in the earlier phase for which FCT rural communities have been the major victims.

“FCT rural communities did not benefit in terms of infrastructure development in the earlier phase, this has led many of the communities hard to reach due to the lack of roads; there is no drinking water; rural schools are scandalous sites and healthcare facilities do not exist.

“In conclusion, we would like to advise the government to further suspend the resumption of the land swap initiative until:It has carry out consultations among the citizens of the FCT, particularly rural dwellers.”

Ekute further urged the government to come up with concrete plan for addressing rural infrastructure within the FCT urban area.

“Come up with concrete and realistic plan for addressing rural infrastructure, not just infrastructure with the FCT urban area, Made public report of its investigation of the abuses of the initiative in the first phase, leading to its suspension, Propose clear, adequate and realistic measures to stop and mitigate the problems of land grabbing in the FCT rural communities,” Ekute stressed.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has congratulated Dr Aminu Hassan Gamawa over his appointment by the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, as the new Chief of Staff to the Governor.

Gamawa, the immediate past Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, was early Monday morning announced as the new Chief of Staff to replace Dr Ladan Salihu, who was sacked alongside other members of the State Executive Council (SEC) last week by the governor.

Felicitating with the new appointee, CITAD in a statement issued on Monday, described Gamawa’s appointment as a testimony of his hard work and people-oriented policies and approach he introduced in discharging his assigned responsibilities.

“This is to, on behalf of the entire CITAD family, congratulate Dr. Aminu Gamawa, who was one of the anti-corruption Social Influencers of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) between 2017 to 2020 and has just been appointed as the new Chief of Staff to Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Muhammad,” the statement read in part.

While praying to Almighty Allah to make it easy for the new Chief of Staff to perform his assignment, the Centre urged him to continue with the good work, which he is known for to ensure the success of the Governor Mohammed-led administration for the benefit of Bauchi State and its people.