On Sept. 25, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, assured Nigerians that Abuja will reach world-class standards before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s first tenure. He spoke during the flag-off of construction works on the Arterial Road N20, also known as Solomon Lar Way, stretching from Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to the Airport Expressway (AEW).
Wike linked Abuja’s transformation to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the capital city is already seeing a new narrative. “All of us will attest to the fact that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, we can see that the narrative has changed. And I want to assure the residents of Abuja that, by the grace of God, before the first tenure of Mr President ends, Abuja will compete with most of the cities in the world,” he said. He called this a “bank draft” residents can trust, with development reaching beyond the city centre to satellite towns.
The minister stressed that his administration will only start projects with secured funding to avoid delays or abandonment. “When the contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council in March, contractors were keen. But I told them: you cannot be more interested than us. I don’t want a situation where you go to a site and then pull out; that would be very embarrassing. Now that we are ready, you have to move to the site and remain there until the job is completed,” he said.
Wike warned the project’s contractor, Gilmore Construction, against unnecessary delays, adding that the completion timeline will be closely monitored to avoid cost variations. He also promised that no sector will be neglected, noting ongoing efforts in education and health. “We have very massively started to reconstruct most of the schools. Now, we are also entering into the health sector. I have said that no sector will be left untouched. We will make sure every sector is given the attention that is required,” he stated.
The minister urged youths and residents in communities hosting the project to support the contractors for timely completion. “With your cooperation, the company may finish this job before the time they were given. I don’t like variation; that is why I am always cautious when projects are given a two or three-year duration. Please support the company, let them have peace, and do not extort money from them,” he appealed.
Wike also directed Gilmore Construction to employ local youths, noting that infrastructure projects under President Tinubu have created thousands of jobs across the FCT. He said projects like the N20 Arterial Road will not only improve transportation but also raise economic value in nearby areas. “I’m just seeing an empty land here now, but before you know it, the company will transform it. The price will go up, and if the road was not to be done, the price wouldn’t rise so much. These are benefits that infrastructure of this nature provides for investors,” he explained.
