The Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu says his administration is not in the presidency to occupy space but to work for the citizens and residents of the country, as evident in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The President made the remarks on Wednesday while inaugurating the newly constructed Akinwumi Ajibola Street, covering Important Local Streets (ILS) 16, 18, and 19, in Gaduwa District, Abuja.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said, “We are here to open a road, but more importantly, we are here to restore access.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we said clearly: we did not come to occupy space. We came to work. Today, that promise is visible on these streets.
“In this government, we measure ourselves by finished work. This street is finished work.”
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President Tinubu noted that for years, families in Gaduwa built homes in good faith, yet they had no motorable road to reach those homes.
“When the rains came, the place became impassable. That is not how a capital city treats its citizens,” he said.
The Nigerian leader said that his administration has no excuse for “no money. We pay on time, and we demand performance on time.
“The asphalt you see, the drainage that will carry water away, and the streetlights that will make nights safer are proof that we meant what we said,” President Tinubu said.
Improve Urban Mobility
He said that the completed project would improve urban mobility, raise property values, reduce vehicle damage and travel time and return dignity to residents who should never have been forced to choose between owning a home and reaching it.
He commended FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike for changing the culture of project delivery and ending the era of mobilisation without movement in the FCT.
President Tinubu praised Wike for taking development from the city centre into the districts and the satellite towns and street by street, “so that no resident is left behind.
According to him, “That is leadership. You inspect, you correct, you finish. Wike, you have my confidence, you have my commendation, and the FCT has your results. Well done to you and to your team.”
He urged residents of the area to protect the infrastructure, adding that a street built by the government and maintained by its community becomes permanent.
“That is the partnership I am asking for. Every district deserves access; every citizen deserves to feel the impact of governance where they live. Together, we can make it happen,” he said.
In his remarks, Wike said the event was the 16th out of the 31-day projects’ inauguration to celebrate Tinubu’s third year in office.
He said that so far, every district in the FCT had been impacted with one project or the other, saying, “We have taken development to Jahi, Gwarimpa, Katampe, Guzape, Kwali and now Gaduwa.”
The Minister cautioned the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) against naming roads constructed by the federal government without due approval.
“If the federal government constructs the roads, permission must be obtained before naming them. Do not wait for us to build roads before putting names on them or using them to generate revenue,” he warned.
Also speaking, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Tinubu; the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; and all stakeholders for their contributions to the successful completion and inauguration of the Full Scope Development of Akinwumi Ajibola Street (ILS 16, 18 & 19) in Gaduwa District, Abuja.
Mahmoud described the commissioning as another significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Federal Capital Territory under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She stressed that his administration’s people-centred policies have continued to accelerate the delivery of impactful infrastructure projects that improve the lives of residents.
The Minister further expressed appreciation to the National Assembly, traditional rulers, community leaders, development partners, contractors, consultants, security agencies, members of the media, and the residents of Gaduwa District for their cooperation and patience throughout the execution of the project.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to sustaining the momentum of infrastructure development across Abuja in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
