Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration(FCTA), Nyesom Wike, has flagged off the construction of the 15.4-kilometer Pai-Gomani road project in Kwali Area Council Tuesday.
The minister, at the occasion, reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and determination to provide infrastructure in all the area councils.
Wike stated that the construction of road in the largely agrarian community of Kwali will improve access to the farmlands and enhance food security in the nation’s capital.
He said: “That is what I have told our people. Mr. President has promised you, give me time, be patient, I will get to all of you. All the Area Councils must have the impact of the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the President and Commander in Chief.
“I want to say clearly let everybody hear me; I did not become a Minister to come and sell land. I took this position to support Mr. President to improve the infrastructure of the FCT. That is why every day, our concern is infrastructure and infrastructure, be it in the city or rural areas”.
He further said that the FCTA was committed to improving residents’ living conditions, while he called for residents’ continued support for the government, irrespective of political divides, to ensure the completion of ongoing road projects.
He said: “Whether you are in PDP, whether you are in APC, whether you don’t even believe in any party, you must use this road. So, this road is very important. No matter how far it is, we will make out from time to time to see that we come here and see if the contractor is doing what he is supposed to do”.
He also commended the Area Council chairmen for their commitment to service and also thanked the traditional rulers for their continued support of the FCT Administration.
The FCT Minister however, expressed displeasure at the non-award of the contract for the construction of Road A2, which connects the Pai community to the Abuja/Lokoja expressway, and promised to present a request for virement to the National Assembly for the construction of the road as an emergency project.
He, however, assured the contractor of adequate funding and called for the project’s timely completion, even as he warned FCTA officials against delaying the processes for payment to the contractor.
Speaking earlier, Chairman Senate Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters, Senator David Jimkuta, thanked President Tinubu and the FCT minister for their commitment to rural infrastructure in the FCT Area Council and pledged the continued support of the National Assembly for the FCT Administration.
The member House of Representatives Abuja South in the Abdulrahman Ajiya, said the projects being flagged off in the FCT have renewed the people’s hope and rekindled their confidence in the government.
On his part, the Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Hon Danladi Chiya, expressed the commitment of the Area Council chairmen to provide rural infrastructure to complement the efforts of the FCT minister.
He thanked the minister for constructing the Pai-Gomani road and urged him to also make time to visit the Area Councils to see the projects being executed by the council chairmen.