The Federal Capital Territory Administration has expressed strong disapproval of the increasing trend of using ambulances to transport corpses within Abuja, labelling the act as “unethical and unacceptable.”
According to Vanguard, Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, made this known on Friday while addressing journalists after the fifth meeting of the FCT Executive Committee, chaired by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Fasawe mentioned that the administration has approved the purchase of 12 brand-new, fully equipped ambulances and will soon begin procuring dedicated hearses strictly for conveying dead bodies to prevent the misuse of medical emergency vehicles.
“In the FCT, we have zero tolerance for an ambulance to carry a corpse. It is not ethical because a living person will lie on that stretcher without decontamination. So, we are also looking into buying hearses in the next budget, specifically to carry dead bodies,” she said.
She explained that the newly acquired ambulances, 12 units of Toyota Hiace Hiroof (2023–2024 models), are “specially fitted to international standards” and will soon be deployed for emergency services across the territory.
“For the first time in about nine years, FCT will get 12 brand-new special ambulances. These are state-of-the-art vehicles, each equipped with a Bluetooth system, airbags, keyless entry and advanced medical fittings. They have been delivered and will be commissioned soon,” she added.
Dr. Fasawe noted that the ambulances would significantly enhance emergency response times in the nation’s capital, particularly with the ongoing road rehabilitation efforts that have improved access to suburban communities.
“A journey that used to take 20 minutes now takes five. With these ambulances, it may take just three minutes to reach a patient in need. This is another example of how the FCT system is working under the current administration,” she emphasized.
She also advised residents to call 112, the national emergency number, for quick medical response, confirming that the line is active and functional within Abuja.
Meanwhile, Saturday Vanguard gathered that the FCT Executive Council reviewed more than 22 memoranda during the meeting, approving 14 new contracts and ratifying eight others.
Acting Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Richard Yunana Dauda, disclosed that among the approvals was the construction of an alternative access road to the old Federal Secretariat in Durumi, which accommodates several ministries.
The project also includes the resurfacing of existing roads in the area.
“That Secretariat has existed since the 1980s with only one access road, which had become deplorable. This new road project will solve that long-standing challenge,” Dauda stated.
The Council also ratified contracts for the supply of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs to boost food production and assist farmers across the territory.
Additionally, it approved three major contracts valued at over ₦9.5 billion for the procurement of water treatment materials, alum, chlorine, and diesel, for the Lower Usuma Dam to ensure continuous access to clean water for residents.
To further strengthen the education sector, the Council approved ₦394.8 million for the supply of instructional materials and practical equipment to 88 senior secondary schools across the FCT, aimed at improving learning outcomes and examination preparedness for WAEC and NECO.
