First Lady Poised To Accelerate Development Of Cancer Centre

The First Lady, Hajiya Tuari Yar’ Adua is determined to accelerate development of the Abuja International Cancer Centre in order to take cancer treatment to the next level.

The FCT Minister, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero dropped this hint on Tuesday while receiving the Vice President of Global Business Development and Managing Director of Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston Texas, USA, Mr. Mitch Latinkic in his office.

The Minister revealed that the design of the Centre is ready while the bill of quantity would be ready in three weeks to enable the real construction begin in earnest.

Senator Aliero disclosed that the construction and equipping of the Centre would be undertaken simultaneously because of the desire of the First Lady to record concrete achievement for the benefit of Nigerians especially those afflicted with the dreaded disease.

According to him, the whole effort of the First lady is for the Abuja International Cancer to be a Non-Governmental Organisation to give access to all classes of Nigerians irrespective of their social standing to benefit from its services at ease.

His words: “The Abuja International Cancer Centre would be private sector driven as the funds so far realised for the project were from well-spirited individuals, corporate organisations and international donors” .

He called for their continued support and understanding to ensure that this lofty dream is realised to the glory of God and greater benefit of the humanity.

Responding, Vice President of Global Business Development and Managing Director of Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston Texas, USA , Mr. Mitch Latinkic who said the delegation was in Nigeria on assessment visit of the Abuja international Centre lauded the foresight of the First Lady in establishing the Cancer Centre.

He assured that the delegation would help where necessary especially to make an impact in prevention of Cancer disease which is dreaded in nature.

Meanwhile, the FCT Administration has destroyed over two hundred shanties harbouring criminals and drug peddlers in Mabushi District of the Federal Capital City, Abuja .

The operation was carried out at the weekend by the Ministerial Joint Task Force recently constituted by the FCT Minister, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero to rid the City of illegal structures, shanties, street hawkers, beggars and commercial motorcyclists.

The suspected criminals and hard drug peddlers on sighting members of the FCT Ministerial Task Force escaped into the nearby bush.

It was observed that most of the shanties earlier removed by Ministerial Task Force were rebuilt to the greatest astonishment of the members; while in some cases they moved inward into the bush to erect additional shanties.

The Minister thus, lamented that the people are not cooperating but the operation would continue until they are tired and move out of such places with their illegal structures.

His words: “The FCT Administration would continue to discharge its statutory responsibility by maintaining the Abuja Master Plan in consonance with vision of its founding fathers as there would be no compromise” .

Senator Aliero reiterated that all black spots in Abuja must be adequately covered to save the residents of the trauma being experienced in the hands of the few undesirable elements who use such places as cover to perpetuate their illegal activities.

He warned that the war against illegal structures and criminal activities in the Federal Capital Territory is total and vowed that the operation would be a continuous one until Abuja is sanitised; insisting that no nooks and crannies of the city would be spared.

The Minister added that “they (crooks) have a chance to repent and get re-absorbed into the society or move out of the Federal Capital Territory as the FCT Administration is committed to get rid of them” .

Senator Aliero repeated the earlier call made to the allottees of undeveloped plots and those with abandoned, uncompleted buildings within serviced areas of the City including foreign missions to commence or completed the development of such properties.

“Accordingly they have been given six months grace period ending December 31, 2009 to commence/complete their development or face withdrawal/revocation their title documents”, the Minister stressed.

He insisted that there is no going back on that policy because the affected property owners/foreign missions have been given enough time from the previous FCT Administrations to date.

Senator Aliero remarked that alternative plots may however be made available to the Foreign Missions whenever they are ready to commence development as the government cannot condone non-development of property in the heart of city.

Justice Awaji, Abuja