Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has vowed to complete the 13-year-old abandoned Apo-Karshi road project in the nation’s capital, Abuja, expressing misgivings against the contractor and the FCT Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) about the delay in execution of the project.
Wike, who disclosed this when he visited the site on Tuesday, emphasised the need for accountability and transparency.
Despite the government paying 86% of the contract value, the project remains incomplete, lamenting the lack of progress.
The Minister promised to take the abandoned road as a personal project to ensure that the road is completed despite entrenched political interest and interference.
He rejected the request to fund the Arah part of the road domiciled in neighbouring Nasarawa State, stating that FCT cannot fund inter-state roads, saying that can only be done if it is a joint venture.
Wike said, “The situation here is very unfortunate, and that is why people have lost confidence in government. This is why this present government, with the Renewed Hope Agenda, is bringing back the confidence of the people.
“I can’t believe that for the past 13 years, this project has been awarded. First of all, I don’t see a reason why we should do the road from Karshi to Arah, which is Nassarawa, which means it is an interstate road.
“Interstate Road has to do with the federal government. FCT cannot fund an interstate road unless it becomes a joint venture. Therefore, I am not going to waste the resources of FCT on interstate roads.
“The one that concerns FCT particularly is the Karshi-Apo. It is very unfortunate that for 13 good years, this road has been abandoned, and I want to say clearly that part of the problem we have here is politics. We politicise everything, and that is why development cannot get to our people quickly.
“I’m happy that this new administration of the Renewed Hope Agenda will do everything possible to see the area from Karshi to Apo completed, but my doubt is about the capacity of the contractor.
“I don’t need to be told that when you go to a site and see where the company is working, you can say that this company has capacity.
“We’ve been to several sites, and all of us can attest to the fact that when you see equipment, you can say that if they tell you they can finish the work in the next month, you’d believe that they’d finish in the next one month. But I don’t believe this, even if you put all the resources down.
“Again, if you go and terminate the contract, then you would also have to pay the cost of it. So these are the problems.
“I want to urge the contractor that it will no longer be business as usual. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care where you come from.
“You must show that you will be serious. In the next few weeks, I want to see your equipment on the ground before funds are released.
“I will not release funds to you when I have not seen your capacity. So they must move their equipment to the site, and then they can convince me. But I can tell you here that I am not happy. This is not what citizens bargained for.
“I was told that another company was awarded this aspect of the road, and I am going to invite the company back. Look at how they awarded the jobs; you can see the political interest in the whole thing, and again, with the connivance of the staff of the STDD.
“They are part of the culprits. It is unfortunate, but I would take this road as a personal project now to make sure that we complete it.
“I want to appeal to the communities to bear with us, that the renewed hope agenda will be serious, and that we will do things for them so that they will be happy at the end of the day. That is why we are here.”
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