FCTA Sets to Generate Power from Recycle waste

By: Wisdom Acka

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that it would soon commence conversion of the huge waste in the nation’s capital into energy.

Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad disclosed this during end of year briefing to the FCT Minister’s Press Corps at the FCDA Conference Hall, Central Business District, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Engr. Hadi revealed that a pilot scheme of the new energy drive by the FCTA would commence as soon as the Administration signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Casemate Investment Limited to develop a watse to energy plant at Gosa landfill site, popularly known as Gosa Dumpsite.

His words: “We are at the point of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Casemate Investment Limited to see to the commencement of the development of the plant.”

“The Abuja Master Plan provides for a landfill site at Gosa, but because we have not been able to develop the engineering land use site there, what we are operating now is just to go and dump,” he said.

“We are trying to get investors to come and develop the waste to energy plant, where we should be able to generate energy and other facilities”, he explained.

According to him, the FCT Administration was desirous of migrating from the use of diesels in powering some of its critical infrastructure to other energy sources, including waste, solar and wind.

Abuja Digest gathered that some of the infrastructure the Administration was planning would be powered by alternative energy sources including the proposed Sewer Treatment Plant in Gosa, where the city’s liquid wastes is to be treated; Lower Usuma Dam, and some streets lights, among others.

Similarly, the Executive Secretary stated that some infrastructural projects have been substantially completed, others are on-going, even as he assured that the FCDA was prioritising completion of some against the others.

He assured that the Federal Capital Development Authority would do everything possible to complete the rehabilitation and internal redesigning of the National Assembly Complex before expiration of the 9th Assembly, so that the 10th Assembly would takeover a fully renovated complex.

The FCDA boss also stated that another critical and gigantic project is the on-going Greater Abuja Water Project which is expected to sufficiently supply water to 50 Districts.

He added that apart from Abuja’s Phase I, the rest of the city’s water supply was on a temporary basis and the situation would be resolved on completion of this water works, which is on advanced stage.

Engr. Ahmad also told the press that the commencement of the first Landswap project was one of the biggest achievement of the FCT Administration under Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello.

He further stated that it was the first time payment for resettlement and compensation was been done by an investor where cheques were issued to affected families.

Before now, the FCTA had to rely on budgetary provisions to take care of resettlement and compensation needs, but funds that would have been used for this would now be channeled into other sectors for the good of the people, he explained.