The Federal Capital Territory minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, has said that the FCT administration will ensure that work on the proposed Nyanya-Abuja railway line is completed by June next year.

According to the minister, the seven kilometer rail line is expected to ease the transportation difficulties currently being experienced by residents of the territory.
Dr. Modibbo disclosed this in Abuja last week when he received a delegation of French investors who paid him a courtesy call in his office.
The minister said the FCT currently has a day-time population of three million people, stressing that without a modern transportation system, it would be difficult for the administration to manage the massive human traffic.
He, however, expressed concern over the power situation in the territory, calling on the visiting technocrats from France to assist the administration in addressing these challenges.
The delegation which was led by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, told the minister that they were in the FCT to explore business opportunities especially in the areas of power, transportation, agriculture, oil and gas.
The delegation said they were particularly interested in participating in the development of a modern rail and metro line system for the territory in view of it’s ever increasing population.

In another development, FCT minister, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar has promised that the proposed Abuja Municipal Federal constituency if created would be reserved for women to vie for the membership of the House of Representatives.
The minister said this was in line with his administration desire to ensure that women are given more opportunities to participate in development of the country, adding that efforts are being made towards ensuring that the current AMAC/BWARI federal constituency is split in order to achieve this objective.
The minister disclosed this when he received The Club of Madrid, a women rights group made up of former presidents and prime ministers which paid him a courtesy call, in his office, last week.

Dr. Umar who said the administration is doing a lot in implementing the 30% UN recommendation for women participation in governance, promised that he would work closely with the women organizations on affirmative action.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and New Zealand Prime Minister, Mrs. Jenny Shipley said their mission is to advocate for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and to demand for increase in their participation in politics.
The former prime minister who commended the minister for his focus on issues affecting women, however, said they were in the FCT to plead with the minister to fully implement the 30% benchmark.

Another member of the delegation Mrs. Cecelia, a member of the Ugandan parliament, said democracy cannot be complete without women participation, calling on the minister to take the initiative in improving the lot of women especially now that the electoral reform project was on.