By Ignatius Ushie
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has reiterated the commitment of the FCT Administration to ensuring that all Districts in the nation’s capital territory are provided with good road networks and other basic infrastructure in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to a statement made available to Transport Day in Abuja, the Minister stated this at the flag-off of the construction of the access road from Arterial Road N11 within the Cadastral Zone B07, Katampe District, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The Minister, while emphasizing FCTA’s commitment to infrastructural development, said the construction of the access road will not only improve the living conditions in the surrounding Districts but will also increase the value of properties and economic activities in the area.
According to him, “Because people know that this road has been awarded, I can tell you that if you want to go and buy land now, it has skyrocketed more than 500 percent. That is what good roads can do. There will be a lot of economic activities here. “So, I think that for a city like Abuja, we have no choice but to continue to provide basic infrastructure like a good network of roads. “
The Minister also assured that adequate provision has been made in the budget for funding the road project and urged the contractor to ensure its completion by May next year to commemorate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second anniversary.
Adding, “I believe that they (Contractor) can beat the time they have given. We, on our part, will make sure that we do not owe you. As you submit your invoice or your certificate, be assured that we will pay you.”
Pledging the FCT Administration’s commitment to ensuring the completion of ongoing projects, the Minister assured that every District created in the FCT will be provided with access roads and other basic infrastructure before new ones are created in line with the President’s mandate.
He said, “We will not rest until we see all the districts are connected with good roads. A good network of roads makes a city very clear.
“These roads are very key for us to reduce the hardship our people are facing and that is the mandate Mr. President has given that every District in Abuja, before we create a new District, the one that has been created should have the basic infrastructure that cities are supposed to have.
“So, let me assure you that we are not just awarding contracts, and these contracts are being awarded by the Federal Executive Council, not just FCTA. No project under our tenure will stay beyond us. Every project we award, by the grace of God, I will make sure that we finish those projects. We are not going to leave any abandoned project for anybody. We are not going to leave projects where there will be variation or augmentation. Our own time is nothing like variation. Nothing like augmentation”.
Also speaking, the Deputy Managing Director, China Geo-Engineering Corporation Overseas Construction (CGCOC) Group, the contractor handling the project, Mr. Fan Xiaojing, thanked the FCT Minister for the confidence reposed in the company and assured that the project will be executed according to the highest standards and in time to commemorate President’s Tinubu’s second year anniversary in office in May 2025.
