By Stanley Onyekwere
For decades, daily survival in Tunga Madaki, a community within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was defined by isolation, a collapsing economy, and cut-off classrooms. Today, that narrative has fundamentally changed following the completion of a critical road infrastructure project linking Bill Clinton Drive directly to the heart of the community.
The successful execution of the project by the FCT Administration under Minister Nyesom Wike, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, has sparked widespread celebration among residents who say the intervention has broken more than ten-year cycle of economic and social paralysis.
Speaking on the transformative power of the newly paved corridor, the District Head of Tunga Madaki, Muhammad Haruna, remarked that the road represents a historic turning point for his people after years of administrative neglect by successive governments.
He recalled that before the construction, Tunga Madaki’s agrarian economy was severely bottlenecked by a dilapidated road network and a ruined bridge over the local river, leaving local farmers trapped in a cycle of post-harvest losses.
“For over a decade, we have suffered,” Haruna explained, noting the deep relief felt across the community.
“In terms of agricultural goods and farm products, it has not been easy for us to transport our produce from the farms to the community, let alone to external markets. But today, we are joyful,” he stated.
The community leader noted that with the new infrastructure seamlessly connecting farms to consumer hubs, transport costs are plummeting, farm-to-market logistics have stabilized, and local agricultural trade is seeing an immediate revival
He added that beyond the economic windfall, the road project has resolved a severe educational crisis in the area, as Tunga Madaki hosts a senior secondary school meant to serve the wider cluster of neighbouring communities.
However, during the rainy season, a collapsed bridge and washed-out terrain effectively barred students from surrounding areas from accessing their education.
The completion of the project has permanently restored safe, predictable, and daily access to the school.
Local leaders emphasized that the project has not just built a road, but has securely reconnected the youth of the region to their future, eliminating seasonal school drop-out rates caused by dangerous infrastructure.
“With this road now, we have access to our schools, our farms, and other daily activities,” Haruna added, describing the profound daily impact on families.
While celebrating the massive relief brought by the new road, the leadership of Tunga Madaki noted that full community empowerment requires addressing remaining structural challenges.
To complement the newly gained mobility, the community is appealing to the FCT Minister to urgently introduce potable drinking water infrastructure, pointing out that clean water remains a critical missing link to ensuring the health and wellness of the reconnected populace.
Additionally, the District Head raised an urgent plea regarding security frictions threatening the community’s economic recovery.
Haruna alleged that personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been encroaching upon ancestral farmlands, disrupting the very farming activities the new road was built to support.
Calling on President Tinubu and Minister Wike to “chook mouth” (intervene) in the land dispute, Haruna stressed that protecting the farmers from harassment is essential to securing the long-term benefits of the road.
He said: “Farming is our only means to feed ourselves, send our children to school, and afford basic living expenses,” Haruna stated, urging the federal government to initiate a dialogue with the military hierarchy.”
He emphasized that safeguarding local farmlands is the final step to ensuring that the people of Tunga Madaki can fully reap the dividends of democracy brought to light by this milestone road project.
