By Salisu Sani-Idris
The African Development Bank (AfDB), says it plans to invest 250 million dollars in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to improve water supply and sanitation in satellite towns.
AfDB Senior Director, Mr Ebrima Faal, made the disclosure, when he led a delegation to visit FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu in Abuja.
Mr Austine Elemue the Special Assistance on Media to the minister disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He quoted Faal as also saying that AfDB would invest in the development of Abuja Technology Village.
Elemue explained that a number of studies were 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 Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) for job creation and poverty reduction in the nation’s capital.
According to him, the bank will work with co-financiers to achieve the objectives.
“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,” he said.
Responding, Aliyu assured the delegation that the administration would key into the project and any other project that will be beneficial to residents of the territory.
She added that integrated farming programme in the satellite towns would 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 pledged. (NAN)
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