By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has declared its readiness to revisit all awarded but abandoned road projects in the satellites and rural communities of the territory, in order to pave way for their prompt completion.
Making this disclosure yesterday, FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, noted that government is a continuum, and as such no awarded contract should be left fallow.
Wike spoke during the flag off of 5km dualization carriage way road project, with its resurfacing and asphalting designed to cover from garage junction to LEA Secretariat in Kuje Area Council.
He particularly assured the people of Kuje that his Administration would not relent in funding people – oriented projects that would bring governance closer to the rural dwellers.
According to him, all that he had achieved in the execution of infrastructural development so far, was due to the enormous support received from President Bola Tinubu.
He explained that he and the Minister of State for FCT were lucky in getting presidential approval for every request made, hence has no reason to give excuses.
He said: “Everybody say we are doing well. All the doing well is because we have a President that provides all that we required. We are doing well because Mr President is behind us. He is the Governor of FCT. He only delegated his powers to us.
“Not every Minister has this luck. I and Minister of State can attest to the fact that we are very lucky.
“So, we cannot answer FCT with mouth. If you are a Minister, minister well. This has nothing to do with party, but about bringing governance to the people through development of infrastructure. “
Wike however warned the contractors handling the 5km Kuje road project to get ready for work, whether it’s rains or not, noting that he would not hesitate to revoke the job if found wanting.
“ Agreement is agreement. If you collect our money under raining season, you must do our job under raining season. I don’t know where you come from, I don’t know the connection you have, I don’t care… Poverty, insecurity dies not know party, rich or poor man. So, we must work together”, the Minister stressed.
Similarly, the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud noted that the move to prioritize development of infrastructure in rural area was in line with President Tinubu’s zeal to promote inclusivity at all levels.
Earlier, the Gomo of Kuje, Jibrin Tanks Haruna who described Wike as an icon of development, honoured him with the title, ‘Danchika migin – dadin- Kuje.’
On his part, Chairman Kuje Area Council, Abdullahi Sabo, noted that the road when completed would help to solve the challenge of traffic jam usually experienced in Area, especially during raining season.
Reacting to the development, a property developer and stakeholder in Kuje, Chief Patrick Akinboye Ojo, said the project when completed will impact tremendously on the people of Kuje.
Ojo, who is a developer working with FCTA in different capacity; ranging from advisory, consultancy, development basis said: “The people of Kuje have long awaited this project and we are impressed and happy that the minister, out of his busy schedule is able to come here, because we know everywhere he goes and makes a promise and intentions known, it will definitely come to pass and for that reason we are waiting in anticipation to hear from the working minister.
“From here to Gwagwalada should be less than seven minutes drive but the traffic congestion in this area make it way longer than that. So the project, when completed will decongest this road and will by effect also allow free flow of traffic along the Airport road.
“We have seen what he has done in other places, especially within the FCT city centre where a lot of projects has been going on. So it is now our turn in Kuje.”
