Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), expressed his confidence on Saturday that several ongoing projects within the FCT would be completed within an eight-month timeframe.
Wike offered this assurance following his inspection of various projects in Abuja to assess their progress, according to the reports of the News Agency of Nigeria.
Key projects in the spotlight
Wike gave the assurance after inspecting some of the projects in Abuja to see the level of progress in Abuja to assess their progress. Some of the projects he examined included the finalization of Roads B6, B12 and Circle Road in the Central Area, as well as the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, being handled by Julius Berger.
The Minister also reviewed the construction of the southern Parkway, running from Christian Centre (S8/9) to Ring Road 1, under the supervision of the outer Southern Expressway, handled by CGC.
This extensive project stretches from Villa Roundabout to OSEX/Ring Road 1 Junction and includes four interchanges.
Wike also assessed the comprehensive development of Arterial Road N20, extending from Northern Parkway to ONEX with spurs being handled by Gilmor Engineering.
Backing the “Renewed Hope Agenda”
Following his thorough inspection, the Minister expressed contentment with the quality of work, emphasizing that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope was not mere propaganda but a tangible reality.
- “So, sometimes it is good for you (journalists) to join us for inspection and see what we are telling the public, whether it is correct or just mere propaganda.
- “The renewed hope agenda is not propaganda. It is the reality that Nigerians must see. So, I am very happy with what I have seen today.
- “If you remember that on Monday, precisely, we were one month in office.
- “What we did in the city is to invite all the contractors so that we will be able to identify quick deliverables in the next eight months and inaugurate the projects,” he said.
Resurgence of FCT projects under Wike’s leadership
Reflecting on his first month in office, Wike recalled that no contractors were active on-site due to non-payment when he assumed his role as FCT Minister.
Expressing a deep belief in Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, the minister said he had been reassuring Nigerians that there would be change “and that change is what you are seeing today.
- “Virtually most major companies have gone back to the site – Julius Beggar is on-site; Setraco is on-site; CGC is on site and Gilmor is on site, just the ones we inspected today.
- “Other companies are also on-site; even though we could not visit them today.
- “I am happy with B6 and B12, being handled by Julius Berger, you can see the quality of the job, and here we are (Arterial Road), being handled by Gilmor; you can see the quality of the job.
- “We moved to CGC, you can see the quality of the job, and we have been to Setraco.
- “Overall, we want to say that we are happy with what they are doing, and we have planned out how they would be paid so that nobody will leave the sites,” the minister added.
The Minister expressed optimism that, with divine grace, these strategically important roads would begin benefitting everyone in the construction phase over the next eight months.
