Abuja — The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has set up a committee on the review of the allocation of public parks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 2005 to date in order to up-grade public parks in the FCT and encourage tourists to take advantage of its serene environment.

FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, while inaugurating the Committee at the 14th session of the FCT Operations briefing in his Life-camp residence, yesterday, charged the members to discharge their responsibility with all the seriousness it deserves.

The Committee has Hamza Tayyabu as Chairman and Dele Omosuluyi as Secretary, while members are Mrs. Victoria Imande, Baba Lawan, Dahiru Yakubu and Barrister Bawa Gamiya.

Moddibo maintained that public parks in the FCT must be improved to the highest standards in accordance with the dreams of the founding fathers of the capital city, saying the city has no room for mediocrity.

He explained that parks in the FCT were not allocated and cannot be allocated to individuals, but can only be leased-out because it is the heritage of all Nigerians.

The Committee, Modibbo said, is to determine the number of parks allocated within the period under review, their locations and sizes, as well as the criteria used in allocating them.

He explained that the Committee is to find out the terms and conditions of allocation, the number of beneficiaries of such allocations; and identify officer(s) responsible for the allocations. He also directed the Committee to unearth if ministerial approvals were obtained for such allocation(s), and also determine the appropriateness or otherwise of the current use of these parks. The Committee is expected to submit its recommendations in one month.