….as NASS lauds Wike’s ‘exceptional’ performance as FCT minister
A total of N919billion, out of the N1.2trillion earmarked for capital expenditure in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been dedicated to the completion of ongoing projects, the FCT Administration has revealed.
According to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, the amount which represents 72 percent of the capital expenditure captured in the proposed 2025 statutory budget will help fast track infrastructure development in the territory.
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Wike, who disclosed this when he appeared before the House and Senate Committees on FCT on Wednesday to defend the 2025 Appropriation Bill, disclosed that N137billion of the budget has also been dedicated to capital projects across rural communities in the six area councils of the FCT.
He said: “Out of the N1.2billion, N919 billion is dedicated to the ongoing projects which have been there before this administration came. Now, out of this N919billion, the FCDA, which is the engine room of the FCTA in terms of capital projects, is allocated N801 billion.
“For capital expenditure, the satellite towns were provided N137 billion for capital projects in the rural areas of the six area councils. As I speak to you, for this second year of Mr president, we have projects for commission in AMAC, in Gwagwalada, in Kwali, in Bwari. Abaji and Kuje.”
While defending the huge allocation to capital project, the minister clarified that most of the projects captured in the budget were not awarded by the current administration, stressing that some of the uncompleted projects doting the FCT were awarded between 2010 to 2023.
“When we mean ongoing projects, it’s not that these projects were awarded by us. Projects that were awarded 2010, 2011, 2019 to 2023. In fact, 90 percent of the ongoing projects are not awarded by this administration,” he stated.
He said the administration has successfully reduced its overhead costs from N364 billion to N343 billion in 2025, stating that the N21 billion decrease is to shore up funding for capital projects in the FCT.
A closer look at the proposed budget shows that a whooping N1.2 trillion was budgeted for capital expenditure, representing 72 percent of the total budget estimate, leaving only about 27 percent for recurrent expenditure.
The minister who further explained that the FCT capital expenditure budget has witnessed a significant increase from the N1.1trillion earmarked for capital expenditure in 2024, said the amount represents 11 percent increase.
“What we provided in 2024 was N1.1 trillion but now we have provided N1.2 trillion in the 2025 as regards to capital expenditure. Now, out of the proposed capital expenditure, the sum of N80billion is for SUKUK Loan.”
Earlier, the chairman, Senate committee on FCT, Sen. Ibrahim Bomai, commend the Wike-led FCT Administration for achieving 85percent budget performance in 2024, noting that the feat was unprecedented in the history of the FCT.
The committee chairman who also applauded the minister’s approach in tackling insecurity noted that the nation’s capital has witnessed a decrease in crime.
While describing the N1.78trillion Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly, as a budget of consolidation, Senator Bomai said he is impressed with the revenue fiscal framework of the budget.
“This is the first time the FCT is proposing to generate about N1.7 trillion and out of the N1.7 trillion, N1.3 trillion is distributable revenue. That means this is revenue that has been generated from the services of the FCT. While N391 billion is loans and counterpart funding. So if you total the two, you have N1.7 trillion. This is the first time FCT is generating this type of money.”
Other lawmakers took turns to applaud the exemplary performance and dedication of the FCT minister to deliver the dividend of democracy to FCT residents in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe, for the first time, joined her voice with those of other lawmakers to shower uncommon accolades on the Minister of FCT for his notable and exceptional performance and called for the speedy passage of the budget as presented.
“I asked my colleagues to pass the budget as presented, but I also think that some issues should be discussed with the Minister in camera,” Ireti declared.
Also, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP), commended the minister for the comprehensive turnaround of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital city.
Ningi, who equates the current status of the FCT with Johannesburg and Cairo, however urged the minister to do more in improving the security in the territory.
Similarly, Senator Mohammed Ndume (Borno South APC) said: “Everybody that knows where Abuja was two years ago and what it is now, knows that you have done well.
Ndume said: “Even yesterday my friend told me that Wike is doing fine, and I said no, it is the Senate that is doing fine because without approving his budget, he cannot do anything” also pledged the continued support of the Senate to enable the minister to succeed.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North, APC) described Wike as one of the best ministers under the APC administration.
Oshiomhole noted that too much money was being spent on overhead with very little available for infrastructure, “what Wike has done is worth noting and commendation.”
He also commended the FCT minister for implementing specific programmes to bring life to rural communities in FCT, sayingthat was the most potent statement to decongest the city, by taking development to the people where they live.
Earlier, at the House of Representative, the Chairman of the Committee on FCT, Mr Muktar Betara, commended Wike for the ongoing transformation of the nation’s capital.
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