The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has reiterated the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to creating employment opportunities for Nigerians through infrastructure development.
Wike disclosed this while flagging off the construction of Arterial Road N20 (Solomon Lar Way) from the Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to the Airport Expressway.
The Minister noted that the President’s support for the FCT Administration’s infrastructure drive, highlighted by the flag-off and commissioning of 16 key road projects, has created job opportunities for Nigerians. He also expressed gratitude to the President for his support.
He said, “With the number of jobs we are doing in the FCT, you can see the number of people that will be engaged one way or the other. If we are using 16 days to flag off projects of different categories, then see the number of persons that will be engaged in these projects. 16 days means 16 companies being involved in these projects.
“So, Mr. President, through the provision of infrastructure, is also creating employment for our people ”
“We want to sincerely thank Mr. President. I also want to thank the Area Council Chairmen for their support of Mr. President and this administration. I urge you to continue because we are all partners in progress,” Wike said.
While noting that the provision of road infrastructure was key to the development of the FCT, Wike further promised that adequate attention was being given to other sectors like health and education.
He vowed that “the FCT would be comparable to other developed cities of the world by the end of President Tinubu’s first term in office.”
“I want to assure residents of Abuja, by the grace of God, before the first tenure of Mr. President ends, Abuja will compete with most of the cities of the world. That is a bank draft I have given to you to go home with.
“I will continue to develop other areas, not only the city but also the satellite towns. We have very massively started again to reconstruct most of the schools. Now, we are also entering the health sector. I have said that no sector will be left untouched. We will make sure every sector is given the attention that it requires,” the Minister assured.
Speaking on the vital arterial road N20, the Minister said the contract was awarded in March this year by the Federal Executive Council to Messrs. Gilmor Nigeria Limited, stressing that the road, when completed, would boost the value of properties in the area and encourage investments in real estate, ultimately improving the quality of life of FCT residents.
Wike pledged that the project would be adequately funded to ensure its timely completion and further urged the contractor to engage the youths during the construction phase to provide them with a means of livelihood.
He called for the support and cooperation of the FCT residents.
The Acting Head of the FCTA Civil Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan said the road project, when completed, would stimulate economic activities by improving access to commercial areas and the Airport expressway. He said it would further attract investments, boost local businesses, and enhance safety and convenience for commuters.
Giving an overview of the segment of Arterial Road N20 being developed, the Acting Executive Secretary, FCDA, Richard Yunana Dauda, said it would link the northern part of the city to the southern part through the Airport Express Way, and when completed, will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the phase two districts of Wuye, Jabi, Utako, Dakibiyu, and Kukwaba as well as the sector centres.
Dauda explained that the scope of work for the project includes the construction of a dual carriageway of three lanes each, with a parking lane, which makes it a total of eight lanes, as well as the construction of two river bridges of four spans each and a dual bridge of three spans that will cross the rail lines at Kukwaba.
Others, according to the Executive Secretary, included surface water drainage, water supply distribution network, street lighting, and telecommunication ducts, among others, adding that the contractor had mobilized to site and commenced work.
Making a public commitment to the timely completion of the project, the General Manager, Gilmor Engineering Services, Mr. Shay Goldhar, thanked the Minister for the confidence reposed in the company.
He assured him that the project would be delivered in accordance with the highest standard of quality in line with the vision and expectation of the FCT Administration and the people Abuja.
Olusola Akintonde