Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Barr Nyesom Wike has disclosed the that plans have been concluded to extend the dualisation of the Kuje community road to Gwagwalada to reduce transportation cost and travel time.
Wike stated this while expressing satisfaction during a project inspection tour in Kuje, Thursday, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promises are being fulfilled.
“What is most important is that the promise Mr President made is being carried out to the letter, particularly as we came in from the airport to the Kuje community, the work is going on very well as expected by Arab Contractors,” he said.
Barr Wike explained that the Arab Contractors’ earthwork is progressing well and expected to complete by the end of year 2024. Gilmor, another contractor, will complete the garage road dualisation also by December.
“Mind you, all the constructions included streetlights. We think that it will change the landscape of the entire city. People do not need to leave Kuje to go and live in the city to go to work. It will be within 20 to 25 minutes and you are already in the city; and that is what everybody hopes for. We thank God that we are keeping to the promises made by this administration,” he added.
Continuing, he said, “They have promised that by the end of this 2024, they would have finished everything pertaining to earthwork. So, the work is going on fast and here in Kuje, as per the dualisation of this Garage road, we believe that latest by this December, the contractor, Gilmor would have handed over.”
It is a matter of strategy and a matter of being prudent with available resources. No government or institution can say they will have all the required resources to be able to carry out every service. But what is important to us is that we try to make sure people pay their taxes.”
One thing I can tell you about Nigerians is that when they see that the taxes they pay are being utilised, they reciprocate that by making sure that they pay their taxes but when they see that they pay taxes and nothing is being done with it, they will be reluctant to pay.”
We are trying as much as we can to continue to increase our IGR. It is our IGR that we are using to pay. There is no other money coming from anywhere. And again, we are strict on the number of projects and we ensure that we have gone far before awarding another project and that the funding is available so that it does not become an abandoned project. So, it is not that we have much money but it is just that we are trying to prudently manage what we have and apply it to the best interest of our people.”.
