This is Terrorism: Federal Government Laments over Attacks on Public Assets
- The FG has lamented attacks on public assets like the police facilities and Independent National Electoral Commission offices
- According to the federal government through Lai Mohammed, these acts can only be described as terrorism
- Meanwhile, the FCT says it would need N2.6bn to replace 25,462 assets vandalised in the federal capital
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Abuja, FCT - The incessant attacks on critical public facilities such as police stations and the Independent National Electoral Commission have become a thing of worry for Muhammadu Buhari led-administration.
In fact, the federal government described the attacks as not just vandalism but an act of terrorism on the part of those involved in it, The Nation reports.
This was disclosed by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed.
He made this known during a town hall meeting on protecting public infrastructure, organised in conjunction with the National Orientation Agency, Punch Newspaper added.
He said:
“Railway tracks are being subjected to destruction, bridge railings are being removed, manhole covers are being pilfered, streetlights and other power infrastructure, oil pipelines, telecoms facilities and critical aviation infrastructure are being damaged or stolen."
Speaking at the event, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, claimed that they would “need N2.6bn to replace 25,462 assets vandalised in the FCT.”
Sale of national assets
In another development, the FG has backed its planned move to sell some supposedly moribund public assets.
The minister of finance, Zainab Ahmed, who spoke on Friday, January 22, said there are some assets that are completely rundown because they have not been in use for a stretched period of time.
Ahmed said that by selling such properties to private hands, the government will invariably boost the nation's economy.
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Meanwhile, the Senate had raised concerns over the plan by the FG to sell and concession national assets for the purpose of funding the 2021 budget.
The Senate committee on privatisation on Tuesday, November 17, said the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) never consulted it over the issue.
The committee chairman, Theodore Orji said:
“The position of the Senate Committee on Privatization is that we are not aware of the arrangement by the BPE to either concession or put for outright sale some national assets in the country in order to fund the 2021 federal budget."
Source: Legit.ng