11-Yrs after Tinubu commissions N59.9bn Abuja road infrastructure

By Stanley Onyekwere

In continuation with the ongoing commissioning of FCT Road projects, President Bola Tinubu yesterday inaugurated the Outer Southern Express Way (OSEX) also known as the Mahammadou Issoufou Way, emanating from the Villa Roundabout (around the popular power house junction) to Ring Road 1 junction (Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway), in Abuja.
PeoplesDaily reports that the commissioning of the expanded OSEX completed by the FCT administration, eleven years after it was started, is the forth in the week long presidential projects commissioning in Abuja, to mark the president’s one-year in office.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, noted that the road infrastructure is significant for the FCT, its residents and visitors alike, describing it as another important achievement and a milestone for his Renewed Hope administration.
He said: “The completion of this project is not only a piece of engineering but a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership.
“It is a shining example of what we can accomplish when we work together towards a common goal, transcending political divide and personal interest for the greater good of our nation.
“I thank the Hon. Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and his team for quickening development and giving the residents of Abuja renewed hope.
“What is unfolding in our capital is a testament to what can be achieved with our government’s renewed hope agenda of positive transformation for the FCT and indeed Nigeria.
“This ambitious undertaking holds profound significance for the FCT and its residents. The expansion of the Outer-Southern Motorway will not only alleviate traffic congestion and improve transportation but will also stimulate economic growth and create opportunities for prosperity.
“With the addition of four interchanges, we are enhancing connectivity and accessibility, making it easier for visitors and residents alike to navigate our beautiful capital city.”
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Wike, expressed gratitude to the President for designating this week – from Monday to Saturday – as FCT week, even as he “acknowledged the challenges that the city has faced in the past.”
Wike recalled that the road project awarded in 2013 had remained incomplete for 11 years, emphasizing that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu’s administration is targeted at making life easier for the people of Abuja.
He said: “The cost of this project as at when it was awarded was 39.8bn, but in 2021, it was revised to 59.9bn; and it was not easy, knowing fully well what we do.
“Mr. President said that every uncompleted project must be completed. Under the Treasury Single Account (TSA), it was very difficult for us to continue with this project, but because the President allowed us to pull out of the TSA, it became easy for us to access funds and pay the contractors who now have confidence in our ability to pay.”
He also noted the collaborative efforts between the government and the National Assembly leadership, which he said was instrumental in making the road project a reality.
Wike however, disclosed that they are also working to rehabilitate the city’s schools, ensuring that all the bad schools are brought up to standard.
According to him: “Why people have their hope back is that before now, they only heard about the government but didn’t see the impact of the government. In the Renewed Agenda, they have seen that really, the government exists, and they can feel the pulse of the government.”