Gwagwalada - News Agency Of Nigeria

Days of empty promises, abandoned projects over in FCT – Tinubu

Philip Daniel Yatai
Jul, Fri, 2025

Metro

Days of empty promises, abandoned projects over in FCT – Tinubu

185 total views today

By Philip Yatai and Uche Bibilari

President Bola Tinubu says the days of empty promises and abandoned projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other parts of the country are over.

Tinubu stated this in Abuja on Friday, while inaugurating the newly rehabilitated Aguma Palace, Radio Nigeria, New Market Road and other connecting roads in Gwagwalada.

The project was the 17th, inaugurated by Tinubu to celebrate his second year in office.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the president assured Nigerians that no community under his administration was too far to be seen, and no voice too faint to be heard.

He added that his administration was steadily bridging the gap between promise and performance.

He said that the projects being unveiled in the FCT were not imposed from above but nominated by the people of Gwagwalada themselves.

“This is the kind of democracy we believe in; one that listens, one that responds, and one that delivers.

“The road is a corridor of dignity for the market women, a path to safety for our school children, and a road to prosperity for the hard-working trader.

“We are not just building infrastructure; we are building confidence and governance.

“For too long, those who lived beyond the city centre have watched development happen from a distance.

“They have watched their dreams of inclusion delayed by excuses, and their hopes defied by shifting priorities; we are here to rewrite that history,” he said.

Tinubu said that his government was not just rehabilitating roads but rehabilitating trust.

According to him, the transformation unfolding across the FCT is the product of deliberate reforms and the bold reform-oriented policies of this administration.

“By expanding the revenue base of the FCT, we are investing in roads, schools, hospitals, and people.

“The newly rehabilitated Aguma Palace, Radio Nigeria, and New Market Road is a lifeline to the communities it connects.

“From rehabilitated healthcare centres to improved learning environments for our children, from safer roads to a more responsible public service, the FCT is undergoing a quiet revolution.”

He said that the revolution was made possible by people like the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who refused to accept mediocrity.

Describing Wike as the most colourful politician in the Nigerian political landscape, the president thanked the minister for his accomplishments so far.

Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to projects that speak directly to the lives of the people.

“We are focused on creating an enabling environment for businesses to grow, for families to thrive, and for communities to prosper.

“We are determined to ensure that development is not a privilege reserved for the few, but a right enjoyed by all,” he added.

In his remarks, Wike said that the 10-kilometre road was nominated by the residents of Gwagwalada, including the 9.5km Paikon-Kore Road, constructed and inaugurated in 2024.

“One good thing about the projects in rural areas is that, we never sat in the city and said, go and do so, so, road.

“We came here and the people said, this is what we want. This is what we call community participation in governance.

“The day we came here for the flag off of this project was the day I knew the importance of these roads to the residents of Gwagwalada. The road had completely collapsed and the people were suffering,” he said.

Acknowledging the excitement on the faces of Gwagwalada residents, the minister commended Tinubu for supporting the FCT Administration to deliver life-impacting projects in satellite towns.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the various projects inaugurated by Tinubu in the last 16 days “as enablers of economic growth, social harmony, and improved quality of life”.

“The inauguration of this road is a demonstration of our dedication to inclusive governance and infrastructure renewal in both urban and rural communities,” Mahmoud said.

Earlier, Mr Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, the Coordinator of the FCT Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), said that the project was awarded in September 2024 to a local contractor.

Zulkiflu added that the completion and inauguration of the road marks a significant advancement in the FCT’s efforts to improve infrastructure in satellite towns and area councils, which reflect Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agender”.

He thanked Wike for the trust placed on STDD to manage and oversee the execution of the project. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Gwagwalada residents laud Wike’s rural transformation projects

Philip Daniel Yatai
Jan, Sun, 2025

Metro

Gwagwalada residents laud Wike’s rural transformation projects

738 total views today

By Philip Yatai

Some residents of Gwagwalada in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have commended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s rural transformation projects.

The residents gave the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada on Sunday.

NAN recalls that Wike had on Feb. 1, 2024, inaugurated the construction of nine-kilometre Paikon Kore to Ibwa road in Gwagwalada.

Wike had explained that the project was one of several road projects to be constructed in rural areas across the six area councils of the FCT.

He added that the projects were designed to make rural dwellers comfortable and open rural communities for development.

Eight months later, the Minister, again, inaugurated the rehabilitation of the Aguma Palace – Radio Nigeria – New Market Road, also in Gwagwalada.

The residents described the projects as “life changing”, adding that the impact on the socio-economic life of the people was overwhelming.

One of them, Mr Ibrahim Makeri, particularly said that the completed Paikon Kore – Ibwa road would impact significantly on agricultural production in the area.

Makeri added that before the road was constructed, most residents along the road corridor were cut off from Paikon Kore during the rainy season, due to flooding water.

He said that pupils who transited primary schools in Ibwa to junior secondary schools located in Paikon Kore were majorly affected.

The resident explained that most of the children do not go to school during rainy season because the rains usually flooded the road.

“With the road successfully constructed, anybody can go wherever he or she wishes to go,” he said.

Makeri appealed to the minister to extend the road beyond Ibwa to connect 70 other communities along the road corridor.

Senior Project Manager, Setraco Nig. Ltd, Mr Senaka Rupanetti (2nd right) and some locals, employed by the company for the execution of Paikon Kore – Ibwa road in Gwagwalada, Gwagwalada Area Council of FCT

The story was no different for Japhet Adamu, 23, Daniel Gaji, 20, and Yahaya Abdullahi, who were among the 75 locals employed by Setraco Nigeria Ltd, while executing the projects.

They told NAN that the development had transformed their lives for good.

Abdullahi, who held a Higher National Diploma in Quantity Survey, said he was recruited as one of the surveyors, adding that it was his first major job since graduation several years ago.

The Senior Project Manager of the company, Mr Senaka Rupanetti, told NAN that the project was completed in December 2024, two weeks before the delivery date.

Rupanetti explained that the nine-kilometre toad project, with about 17 culverts, was delivered before the delivery timeline because Wike ensured that they get paid on time.

Speaking on the Aguma Palace – Radio Nigeria – New Market Road project, the affected residents on the market road corridor said that the project has turned things around in the area.

One of them, Mr Charles Eyo, who sells curtains, window blinds and other accessories on the road corridor, said that the road project has revamped businesses in the area.

“I have been paying rent for the past four years without making profit because the road was abandoned, leading to closure of most businesses.

“However, businesses are springing back to life since the commencement of the road project, and we thank Wike for that,” he said.

The ongoing construction of Market Road in Gwagwalada, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT

Also, Mr Obi Nicodemus, who sells traveling bags, said politicians have been using the road to campaign for votes only to turn their back once they were voted into office.

“We are happy that Wike has finally wiped our tears and as you can see, businesses are coming back to life due to the ongoing road project,” he said.

Similarly, an Okada rider, Mr Monday Onoja said, “for ten years we have been suffering from this road, even those walking on legs finds it difficult to walk on the muddy road.

“We are grateful to Wike for smiling at us.”

The contractor, Mr Ebere Owhonda, Executive Director, Okmas Nig. Ltd, said that the project, expected to be completed in August had reached 40 per cent completion.

On his part, one of the community leaders, Mr Umar Abubakar, commended Wike for the resilience to improve the quality of life of rural dwellers.

Abubakar said that the Paokon Kore and that market road projects were abandoned by the previous administration.

‘However, in less than two years, Wike has done remarkably well for the people of Gwagwalada,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Muhammad Lawal