Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has commended President Bola Tinubu for his government’s financial support to the 36 states and Abuja, describing it as a significant intervention that is driving key infrastructural development at the sub-national level.
Wike who stated this during the flagging off of the main carriageways of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from Ring Road I Junction to Ring Road II Junction in Abuja, described the President’s leadership style as visionary and purposeful.
Minister Wike said that Nigeria’s improved financial turnaround today resulted from President Tinubu’s bold decision to end the fuel subsidy, a move he explained previous administrations had avoided.
He said many States were now able to pay salaries and embark on infrastructural projects as a result, and no longer running to the banks for loans.
According to him, “Today, the leadership of the President has made it possible for all the States and the Federal Capital Territory not to be running to banks again… Every State now has money, not only to pay salaries, not only to carry out other governance activities, but also to embark on projects.
“So, if it is for that reason that so many people are going to support Mr. President, I think it is worthwhile…Now, no Governor will talk about leaving debts for your successor, unlike what used to happen before.
“That is leadership. It was not possible until Mr. President made that decision that this subsidy must come to an end. But for that, most states wouldn’t have been able to pay salaries today. For FCT, it would have been difficult”, Minister Wike stressed.
Addressing the recent decamping of some governors from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the FCT Minister took a swipe at his former critics who accused him of working for the APC while a member of the opposition PDP.
He pointed out that many of them had since joined the APC themselves.
Minister Wike said they should commend him for his actions, which, he said, were ultimately beneficial to their current political destination.
“All of them now are in APC. So, if it is true, they should commend me for working for where they are heading to. So, I should be commended for doing a good job for them,” the Minister said.
Speaking on the OSEX project, the Minister affirmed that the flag-off is a fulfillment of a promise made earlier during the commissioning of the left-hand service carriageway.
He said the dualization of this road is aimed at decongesting the area’s heavy traffic, which he described as a key part of the FCT Administration’s promise to provide happiness to the people. He also announced progress on the relocation of Apo traders to Wasa, confirming that the FCT administration had received the cost for providing infrastructure at the new market site.
The Minister said, “We also said that we are going to relocate the Apo traders to their new site. Let me announce to you today, by the grace of God, we have received the cost of providing infrastructure from the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, so that we will provide infrastructure in the new site where they will be relocated.
“Every promise made by this administration under the leadership of His Excellency, Mr. President, be assured that we will fulfill all the promises we have made to the people of the FCT”, the Minister pledged and thanked the Area Council Chairmen for their continuous support.
In her remarks, the Minister of State for FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the commencement of the OSEX main carriageway project as another remarkable achievement of the administration, stressing that the road initiative will reduce traffic gridlock in Abuja and also enhance the quality of life of the teeming residents.
She also expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu for his visionary leadership, exemplified by the Renewed Hope Agenda, and thanked the FCT Minister for his steadfast commitment to the development of the capital city.
In the project overview, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Engr Richard Yunana Dauda, stressed the Administration’s commitment to enhancing efficient road networks that resolve connectivity issues and support the long-term development of the Federal Capital Territory.
He revealed that the Outer Southern Expressway commenced from the Villa Roundabout in Asokoro District, traversing through Apo, Wasa to Kuje and then terminating at the intersection with the Kaduna-Abuja-Lokoja Expressway in Gwagwalada, a total of 67 kilometres.
Engineer Dauda said that the full scope of the OSEX is a 10 Lane Expresswaycomprising of two main carriageways of three lanes each and two service carriageways of two lanes each, adding that the road had been developed progressively in stages with the first stage, from the villa roundabout to the Ring Road 1, having been fully developed as a 10 Lane expressway.
He said the project being flagged off was the two main carriageways from Ring Road 1 to Ring Road 2, expected to be completed in one year, adding that on completion, the project will rapidly evacuate traffic from the city center to the southern fringes, thereby reducing travel time in and out of the city and enhancing development along the southern fringes of the Federal Capital City.
In his commitment note, the Managing Director, China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited, Zhong Xiang, pledged to the timely delivery of the OSEX road project, noting that the initiative was very strategic to Abuja’s continued growth as it would provide seamless connectivity in the Districts of Garki, Apo, Lokogoma, and Gudu, and significantly reduce travel time.
He further stated that the project is expected to create about 1,000 direct and indirect jobs and pledged to engage the local communities during construction.
