Home Environment INTERVIEW: With FastGov, Abuja can be very livable – Jumai Ahmadu

INTERVIEW: With FastGov, Abuja can be very livable – Jumai Ahmadu

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By Ben Atonko & Oby Echeburu

Dr Jumia Ahmadu, Head of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA) Call Center is in the forefront on mission to make Abuja one of the most livable cities in the world. She has been incorporating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the management of the city to enhance the quality and performance of services. In this interview with Viewpoint Housing News, Ahmadu gave reasons one has to have the FastGov App that has just been launched by the FCTA Call Centre. Ahmadu with PhD on Policy Analysis, did an extensive research on the Impact of Resettlement Policy on Original Inhabitants of Abuja. From the study, she has thrown up very useful ways of tackling the problems that surround the resettlement plan for the original people in the territory. She decries the continuous procrastination on execution of the blueprint and failure to properly resettle the people, describing all this as a time bomb.

Viewpoint: What is the crux of the resettlement problem in FCT?

Ahmadu: When Abuja was created as the federal capital of Nigeria, everybody was to be moved out of the capital city to make room for the development, without anybody laying claim to ancestral land. Government came up with a total relocation plan which was why we have places like New Karu, New Wuse and New Nyanya in that order.

During General Olusegun Obasanjo regime [1976-79], it was seen that the cost of over N2 billion was too much for total resettlement. He felt that indigenes should remain; when development gets to their doorsteps, they’ll be resettled which is why we have the problem that we have in our hands today.

If government had taken the bull by the horns in 1976, we wouldn’t have had this problem…The cost has gone up now from N2.2billion to almost N500billion. I’m not sure government will be able to do this again. Except if they can device other means as I stated in my thesis, everybody will be happy.

Viewpoint: You launched a city management app last month. What is it?

Ahmadu: It’s called FastGov and it is an app that is not limited to any phone device. As long as you have network, you can download the app. It’s on iOS and android. If you have any problem… you can go as far as taking pictures to let us know exactly what you’re talking about.

It’s government’s way of not limiting people to accessing the services that FCTA provides. Ultimately, it helps to have good service delivery. The complainer can monitor what has been done concerning the complaint that he/she had laid.

Viewpoint: Is it limited to any area? Does it cover crime, sanitation…

Ahmadu: It covers all the services that FCTA provides and it extends to security challenges as well. On the app we have commendation, complaint and we have a mail tracking device. When you submit your mail to us, you will be given a tracking number that you will be following up — what has happened to the mail you submitted.

Instead of traveling from Lagos to Abuja to follow up, you could be in your comfort office and do the follow up via this app until you see that it has got to the office you want it to be, then you come.

When we start using this particular feature on the app, you just submit your mail. There will be a system in the first point that registered your mail. We’ll generate a number via your phone so that if the mail moves from Point A to B, you receive an alert on your phone and you see that the mail is with Director of Human Resource now — till your attention is needed.

Viewpoint: That means your personnel have been given adequate education in the use of this new system.

Ahmadu: A secretary is designated to do this in every office; in all the departments of the administration. But this is to be in future.

At present, we’re focused on complaints and commendations which is where the service delivery comes in and that is why the app was developed. We made it mobile app now because before, we used to have kiosks but the normal challenge we have in Nigeria which is power failure made the kiosks not to be effective because once there was no power supply, the application would just go down and it would take time to reboot it all over again. This app is locally developed, it’s a homegrown idea. We’ve made it mobile, no need to rely on public power.

Viewpoint: If this app were working the way you have explained, we expect that the people that were swept away by floods would have been saved because we gathered that somewhere in Lokogoma distress calls were made.

Ahmadu: Somebody actually sent us something from that location. He took a picture of the incident and sent to us. We then informed FEMA [FCT Emergency Management Agency]. FEMA got there but before they could reach the second person who was the officer in the vehicle, the water level had risen and he could not be rescued but the driver was rescued.

Viewpoint: Do we give credit to this app?

Ahmadu: In a way we can but the ultimate credit should go emergency agency that swiftly acted. We first receive the complaint, then send to our departments. Another thing is for them to act fast. We give the credit to the agency that worked.

Viewpoint: Are charges in the use of the app?

Ahmadu: No. but you’ll use your data.

Viewpoint: What has been the traffic or response from the general public since you launched this app?

Ahmadu: This application was launched barely a month ago. We’ve not done the needed publicity that we should do. That’s why I’m happy with this interview — at least people will get to read about it through this medium.

But we have set out a machinery on ground for awareness campaign so that people can take advantage. But for now, in a day we get 15-20 complaints through the app.

Viewpoint: Abuja has been designated the 8th most populous city in the world. Lagos is 6th. Abuja seems to be galloping towards the unenviable status. By the time this app gets to many mobile phones and complaints start coming, do you have the capacity to manage?

Ahmadu: We have the capacity. How does it operate? If your complaint comes into our back end, we quickly forward it to the department that is supposed to act because our officers are already there waiting. So as it comes we forward. There’s no time that it will be crowded.

The capacities are there and capacities are developed to be able to face challenges. No matter the volume of complaints that will come into the dashboard, we can handle it. This will complement the conventional telephone that we have in the call centre. With this app you can reach us at any time even people outside the country.

Viewpoint: Can you directly address the people of Abuja concerning this innovation?

Ahmadu: I enjoin them to take advantage of the opportunity FCTA has created, for them to have uninhibited access to our officials. Because government officials can’t be at every nook and cranny of FCT.

That’s why the Call Center was established – for people to take advantage of and let us know where we’re not working well. If you go to a hospital and you’re not treated well, call the Call Centre. In your environment, if you observe that a pipe has burst, call the Call Centre. If the refuse in your environment has not been evacuated, call the Call Centre.

I can confidently tell you that through the Call Center, many people’s complaints have been resolved in Abuja.

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