President, Muhammadu Buhari, has praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mohammed Bello, for exhibiting the virtues of transparency, honesty and integrity while managing the affairs of the FCT.

Buhari said this when he received the FCT minister and representatives of the FCT Community, who paid him Christmas homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Sunday, 25th December, 2022.

According to the president, he deliberately appointed Bello as FCT minister, and refused to deploy him because of his good character, and stressed that Bello had proven to be better manager of both financial and human resources.

He made this comment in reaction to an earlier testimony by Sen. Smart Adeyemi, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, who described the FCT Minister as the most transparent and honest Minister in the history of the FCT.

The president added that he was not surprised to hear such comments on the FCT Minister, thanking Bello for not disappointing him.

He said the Minister has restored sanity into allocation of plots in the FCT, where People were used to selling allocated plots instead of developing them as stipulated by the FCT laws.

While others also apply for land only for them to resale and get quick money for marrying additional wives.”

The leader of the delegation and FCT minister, Mohammed Bello, had earlier told the president that the Christmas homage had become mandatory in view of the fact that he is the Governor General of the FCT and appreciated the president for all he has so far done for the country.

He said:

This also presents the last Christmas that we are going to have an opportunity as residents of the FCT to come and pay you homage because in five months’ time, your tenure would have ended and the next Christmas will be under a new President.

“So, we use this opportunity to thank God almighty for having made it possible for us to witness several Christmas celebrations under your leadership.

I also on behalf of the entire residents of the FCT, wish you well and pray for God to grant you long life, useful and healthy retirement in the next few months.

The minister thanked the president for the opportunity giving to him to serve in the capacity and he wished the President long life and a successful retirement as his tenure gradually comes to an end.

Story: Hilda Katu

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