FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has declared that having good network of roads in Abuja will boost Nigeria’s prospects of getting the hosting rights of the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
He noted that it will be difficult for Nigeria to achieve such bid if Abuja don’t have a good network of roads.
Wike, who spoke yesterday when he officially flagged off the construction of Arterial Road S1 with a three-span bridge from Ring Road II to the FCT Fire Service station in Kaura District, Abuja, said said it will give credibility to Nigeria’s quest to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
He noted that the ongoing provision of massive road networks across the FCT was anchored on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said: “As I have said before, it is the hope of the Renewed Hope Agenda that before the first tenure of Mr. President ends, Abuja will be a different place. Abuja will be competing with some other cities of the world.
“I understand that Nigeria is bidding to host the Commonwealth Games, and it will be difficult for us to achieve that if we don’t have a good network of roads.
“When the committee comes and they see that the basic infrastructure is being provided, that gives us the leverage to be given the hosting rights of the Commonwealth Games.
“So, all these linkages, all these networks of roads are also geared to showcase to the world that we have a city that can host the Commonwealth Games.”
According to the minister, Abuja city will compete with some of the developed cities of the world by the end of President Tinubu’s first tenure.
It was gathered that the scope of work includes the construction of 2.4km of asphalt-paved roads with the three-span bridge, surface water drainage, as well as erosion control measures, among other engineering services.
