By Stanley Onyekwere
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned Collector Road and its accompanying bridge in the Institution and Research District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The newly completed infrastructure connects major academic and national institutions, including the Body of Benchers, Nile University, and Baze University.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu noted that the road network will rapidly resolve severe infrastructure deficits in the district, restoring ease of movement and enhancing security for thousands of students, lecturers, and legal professionals.
He recalled that the project was triggered by an urgent appeal made by the Body of Benchers during a recent Call to Bar ceremony.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Federal Government bypassed bureaucratic delays to approve emergency funding.
Equipped with streetlights, walkways, and a 60-meter river bridge, the project stands as a major milestone under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We promised that we would not allow governance to become a series of abandoned dreams and half-hearted efforts.
“Today, as we stand on this newly constructed Collector Road C01, we are not just looking at the physical roads and buildings; we are looking at a promise kept,” the President stated.
Beyond improving transit, the President highlighted the economic impact of the project, citing data from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) which confirmed that the construction generated hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for Nigerian youths.
Tinubu commended the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, dubbing him the “Mr. Project” of this generation for his relentless work ethic and the rapid completion of projects transforming the nation’s capital.
Speaking earlier at the event, Barr. Wike explained that the project aligns with the President’s directive to ensure every district in the FCT receives government intervention.
The Minister extended his deepest appreciation to Tinubu for the strategic policy decision to remove the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Wike emphasized that this single administrative reform unlocked the vital financial resources currently being utilized to fund and execute massive infrastructure projects across the territory.
Earlier, while roviding the technical blueprint of the project, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, detailed the scope of the 1.5 km road project will a 3-span bridge measuring 60 meters, providing a critical alternative route and easing connectivity.
On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, celebrated the momentous occasion, thanking the presidency and the National Assembly for their unwavering commitment to life-changing infrastructure.
She also commended the technical teams, engineers, and contractors whose hard work brought the project to fruition.
