Nigeria: Wike Flags Off Construction of Another Abuja Road

22 February 2024

Mr Wike also pledged to rehabilitate the Gwagwa-Karimo-Deidei road to ease traffic congestion.

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, flagged off the construction of the five-kilometre access road in Saburi, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The event marked the sixth and final ceremony of its kind undertaken by the minister in less than two weeks.

Mr Wike, during the ceremony, explained that delivering significant projects, such as roads, which residents had given up hope on, was part of President Bola Tinubu's vision to restore the long lost hope of the people.

"Governance is about what the people want. Nothing will stop us," he said.

He urged FCT residents and Nigerians to pray for good health and wisdom for the president to succeed in delivering good things.

Noting that though things were tough at the moment, he emphasised that there was hope and a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Mr Wike stressed that when things wete really bad, it required more patience for a positive turnaround, which he was confident would surely materialise.

While appreciating the support of the people for the president and the programmes of the FCT Administration, Mr Wike reiterated that the political party was simply a vehicle that conveys one to a destination. He assured that after project flag-off, he would get down to face governance.

Gwagwa-Karimo-Deidei Road

Mr Wike also announced that the administration would construct the Gwagwa-Karimo-Deidei road to ease traffic congestion.

He made this decision after a request by the AMAC Chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, for the minister to consider expanding the road to alleviate traffic congestion.

Mr Maikalangu described the road as a strategic commercial route in the whole of FCT, but in a bad state, narrow, and requiring expansion for the road users.

As a result, he added, it affects commercial, economic, and all other business activities in the nation's capital.

"Today is a very significant and remarkable day to the people of Sabiru because their long-awaited requests and demands have been met via your pragmatic, tremendous and unprecedented leadership as the Minister of FCT.

"Your Excellency, due to the significant traffic on Gwagwa-Karimo and Deidei Road, I am pleading as a son of the soil, privileged to be the executive chairman under your watch, to say that the above-named road is in a bad state, narrow, and requires expansion for the road users. Thus, it affects commercial, economic, and all other business activities in FCT," he said.

In response, Mr Wike asked the people at the event if they agreed with Mr Maikalangu on the request, and the residents unanimously chorused "yes".

"Consider it to be done," the minister said.

Mr Wike said President Tinubu had emphasised that people in rural areas must be given attention because they constitute the larger part of the population.

He called on the residents to pray for the president for good health and God's guidance to keep his campaign promise of providing dividends of democracy to the people.

Mr Wike mentioned that the construction of additional roads across the six area councils of the FCT would be inaugurated in the next three months.

He appealed to the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on FCT to support in passing of the FCT statutory budget, which he said would be submitted soon to enable the Administration to deliver more roads and other projects in rural communities.

"Mr President has emphasised that our people in the rural areas must be given attention because that constitutes the larger part of the population. So, it is not only where the elite are living, but also where the poor ones are, so that we will be able to reduce the level of insecurity, make economic activities thrive, and have our farmers bring their goods to the market," he added.

Earlier, the Chief of Jiwa, Idris Musa, thanked Mr Wike for constructing rural roads across the six area councils.

"Today is a great day for us and other Nigerians that are jampacked in Jiwa Chiefdom. The road you are constructing now, we are very grateful," he said.

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