Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has stated that the FCT Administration will construct the Gwagwa-Karimo to Deidei road to ease traffic congestion.
Wike made this pledge on Wednesday during the flag-off of the 5-kilometer Saburi 1 and 2 road construction project, commencing from the Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway, also known as Zuba Kubwa Expressway) to Old Keffi Road, near Dei-Dei International Market, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The decision to construct the road followed a request by the AMAC Chairman, Mr. Christopher Maikalangu, for the minister to consider expanding the road to alleviate traffic congestion.
Maikalangu described the road as a strategic commercial route in the whole of FCT, but in a bad state, narrow, and requiring expansion for the road users.
He stated, “Your Excellency, due to the significant traffic on Gwagwa-Karimo and Dede Road, I am pleading as a son of the soil, privileged to be the Executive Chairman under your watch, to say that the above-named road is in a bad state, narrow, and requires expansion for the road users. Thus, it affects commercial, economic, and all other business activities in FCT.”
Maikalangu also mentioned that the Saburi Road from the expressway to Old Keffi Road would ease the suffering of the people, particularly during the rainy season. He noted that when completed, the road would trigger and provoke enormous socio-economic activities and other development strides in the area.
In response, Wike asked the people at the event if they were in consensus with Maikalangu on the Gwagwa-Karimo-Deidei road, and the highly elated residents anonymously answered yes.
The minister then stated, “Consider it to be done,” as, according to him, the essence of governance is when the government responds to the needs of the people.
Wike emphasized, “Mr. President has emphasized that our people in the rural areas must be given attention because that constitutes the larger part of the population. So, it is not only where the elite are living, but also where the poor ones are, so that we will be able to reduce the level of insecurity, make economic activities thrive, and have our farmers bring their goods to the market.”
He called on the residents to pray for President Bola Tinubu for good health and God’s guidance to keep his campaign promise of providing dividends of democracy to the people.
Wike mentioned that the construction of additional roads across the six area councils of the FCT would be inaugurated in the next three months.
He appealed to the Senate and House Committees on FCT to support in passing the FCT statutory budget, which would be submitted soon to enable the Administration to deliver more roads and other projects in rural communities.
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Earlier, the Chief of Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa, thanked Wike for constructing rural roads across the six area councils.
“Today is a great day for us and other Nigerians that are jampacked in Jiwa Chiefdom. The road you are constructing now, we are very grateful,” he said.