In continuation with the ongoing ground breaking for critical infrastructure, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday flagged off the construction of a 7-kilometre road with four-span bridges linking Tunga Madaki and eight other settlements.
Wike said the project was in fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and a direct response to the community’s long-standing demand for infrastructure.
He noted that the road project stemmed from earlier negotiations during the acquisition of land for the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
He explained that despite the land belonging to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Aviation Ministry had to pay compensation, during which the affected communities demanded road access as a condition.
“It was quite unfair that a people would surrender their ancestral land for a national project like a second runway, yet they had no access road—even to the airport they gave land for.
“So, I took the matter to Mr. President, and he said, ‘Whatever they ask for, give it to them.’ Today, we are here to fulfill that promise”, the minister stated.
According to him, the road construction will be completed and commissioned by June 2026, to coincide with the third anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration. He commended the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the project contractor, for committing to the timeline.
He said: “This is a government that listens, a government that keeps its promises.
“For the first time in your lives, you asked for one thing, and the government responded. That is what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about”.
Furthermore, Wike opined that by next year, the road would not only serve as a key access route to the airport via Bill Clinton Drive, but would also catalyse development across the nine previously neglected communities.
Speaking in the same vein, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud described the project as one that would up Tunga Madaki and adjoining settlements to socio-economic opportunities.
Mahmoud added that by providing an alternative access route that bypasses the airport second runway, the project would significantly ease traffic along Bill Clinton Drive and enhance security and convenience for airport users,
According to her, “More importantly, the inclusion of a 4-span bridge demonstrates the administration’s determination to ensure resilience and durability in our infrastructure, while also guaranteeing seamless connectivity for motorists and residents”.
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda continues to manifest in tangible projects in the Territory.
She also applauded Wike, for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to infrastructural development across the FCT.
