Wike seeks Tinubu’s presence to inaugurate roads in FCT satellite towns

To mark the second anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has appealed to the President to inaugurate one or two road projects initiated and completed by the FCT Administration under his leadership.

The minister made the request on Saturday in Abuja while addressing journalists after an inspection tour of the International Conference Centre (ICC), as well as the Ushafa/War College Road in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council.

Wike, who noted that the President would commission the projects at his convenience, expressed deep appreciation to him for paying attention to the satellite towns in the nation’s capital.

He said this was why he wanted the President to inaugurate the projects, so residents could personally express their gratitude for the work done.

He said: “I did say we are monitoring the calendar. If Mr. President, in his wisdom and subject to his convenience, agrees, I suspect it could be after the Sallah celebrations, so we can have our own two weeks.

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“Not all the projects will be commissioned by Mr. President—others, such as schools and similar facilities, will be handled differently.

“Basically, the major projects that impact the satellite towns and the city directly, we hope the President will inaugurate.

“I have pleaded with Mr. President to commission one or two roads in the satellite towns, so that the people can see him and show appreciation for the work he has done.

“We’re happy that the promises we made have been fulfilled to the glory of God. This is what the Renewed Hope Agenda is about.

“I’ve said repeatedly that we are not focusing only on the city but also paying close attention to satellite towns.

“The total road length is not less than 12 kilometers, which has linked up the entire Ushafa community.

“Yesterday, we were at Gwagwalada and Kwali. This shows that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to developing satellite towns.

“We are also working on the Kuje-Gwagwalada dualization project. So, we’re very pleased with the progress.

“We want to commend the contractor. As they’ve said, the few remaining tasks will be completed soon.

“We believe that by the first week of June, by God’s grace, we’ll begin commissioning the projects. That’s what I can tell you for now.

“You can also see we just came from the International Conference Centre, which is now a world-class facility.

“As per the directive of Mr. President, we’ve ensured Nigerians are given the best—and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”

The minister also hinted at plans to establish a bus terminal in Bwari. He assured that the construction of the Ushafa/War College Road would help reduce rural-urban migration and decongest the city.

“Previously, we visited Mabushi and Kugbo. We will also establish a terminal in the central area.

“We’ve agreed to build one in Gwagwalada and another in Bwari, so commuters can travel from Bwari to the city—whether it’s to Mabushi, Kugbo, or the central business area. The same will apply to Gwagwalada.

“When all these are in place, you can imagine how secure and convenient it will be.

“People will be able to go to designated bus terminals, board a bus or taxi, and reach their destination without the fear of falling victim to ‘one chance’ criminals.

“Except someone chooses to stand on the roadside, the government would have done its part.

“Let’s not forget how this place used to be, and now see how it looks.

“Once all the streetlights are installed, it’ll be a completely different environment—another reason people will prefer to live in the satellite towns rather than moving into the city.

“From here to the city takes less than 35 minutes. That’s the essence of decongesting the city—making people stay in the satellite towns.

“When basic amenities and infrastructure are provided, people will no longer feel the need to move to the city. Rural-urban migration is largely due to the lack of such facilities in rural areas.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE