Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike has disclosed that the government is prioritizing the delivery of projects in the satellite towns including the flagging off of water supply projects in Bwari and Karu areas worth N90billion.
Minister Wike stated this while commissioning the rehabilitated Phase II Water Treatment Plant at the Lower Usuma Dam in Bwari Area Council of Abuja.
The Usuma dam is a significant source of potable water for Abuja and its environs and receives water from two rivers from Kaduna, and Nasarawa states, and the Gurara Dam during the dry season.
In a statement by the Assistant Director Press in the Minister’s office, Rabi Musa, Wikehighlighted the FCT Administration’s focus on satellite towns, with the upcoming flag-off of new water projects in Bwari and Karu.
“These projects, costing over N90 billion, the Minister said, are designed to extend essential services beyond the city center and improve the quality of life for residents in these communities,” the statement noted.
Minister Wike equally dispelled claims that his administration was focusing solely on road projects, citing ongoing projects in the education sector, including the rehabilitation of schools in rural communities and the various ongoing water supply projects.
“I have told the Mandate Secretary of Education to release the number of schools in the entire FCT, under the President Tinubu administration, that we have completed rehabilitation and all the ongoing ones. I believe by the time that list is released, Nigerians will know what we have done in the education sector”, the Minister noted.
He explained the significant increase in the FCT’s monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N9 billion to N30 billion, which has enabled the payment of contractors and the funding of new projects.
“When we came on board, we had a monthly IGR of N9 billion, but as we speak today, by the grace of God, every month, we are generating not less than N30 billion. Now we have come here to commission this project.
“If we were not saving this money, would we have paid the contractors? The Federal Government has approved the rehabilitation of phases one, three, and four. If we were not saving funds, we wouldn’t be providing water to Bwari, Karu, and other satellite towns”.
Wike, while addressing issues of development and accountability in the award of contracts, vowed to fight corruption and ensure that public funds are used judiciously for the benefit of the people.
“People are complaining that all projects in Abuja were abandoned; why would it not be abandoned when funds that are meant for development are channeled towards unnecessary things. Let us work for our people and change lives.
“Buying computers every year will not help us. Going to America for a conference on land administration will not help. What will help is the development of our people, the development of our communities, providing roads, providing schools, providing water, and providing security. That is what is important,” he added.
Speaking on recent media reports and protests over the alleged debts owed to indigenous contractors by the FCTA, the Minister said no amount of blackmail or intimidation will deter his administration from its core mission.
The Minister challenged those making allegations about unpaid local contractors to produce documentation proving he awarded the contracts, asserting that he will not be pressured to pay for projects he did not approve.
The Minister insisted that the issue was a result of indiscipline and a deeply entrenched culture of corruption, stressing that many of the contracts were allegedly awarded by civil servants without his knowledge or approval.
He said the claims of unpaid bills were a manifestation of corruption fighting back against efforts to reform the system and vowed to defeat corruption.
According to Minister Wike, it would not be business as usual.
“The problem in this country is that when you want to fight corruption, corruption will fight you back and it’s corruption that is fighting back and we are going to defeat corruption.
“The bane of our problem is indiscipline. I came on board to meet complaints that indigenous contractors and local contractors were being owed billions of naira. I said who awarded these contracts. Civil servants stay in their offices and award contracts of various sums without the Minister knowing.
“Then you will be a Minister sitting in the office and people will tell you that you are owing N15 billion when you don’t know when it was awarded.
“Certainly, it will not happen. Nobody can intimidate me on that. If I award contracts, I will pay and those who know me know that I don’t award contracts when we don’t have money. We must do things right.
“That it was not done right yesterday does not mean it will not be done right today. People must know that it cannot continue to be business as usual. You cannot embarrass me. Go and meet those who awarded those contracts to you and tell them your children are out of school” Wike said.
The FCT Minister also outlined his vision for Abuja’s development, which prioritizes capital projects over recurrent expenditure, stressing that his goal is to ensure that FCT residents feel the tangible impact of the current administration.
He stressed that his administration remains focused on creating a legacy of growth and positive change, vowing that he will leave office with his head held high, having fulfilled his commitment to transform the FCT for the better.
In her remarks earlier, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, expressed joy at the completion of phase II of the Lower Usuma Dam Water treatment plant, describing it as a major milestone.
She thanked President Tinubu for his unwavering support for infrastructural renewal and emphasized the importance of maintaining the new infrastructure for the benefit of current and future generations.
While providing an overview of the project, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda said the rehabilitation exercise focused on the phase II water treatment plant, originally built in 2000, which had been at risk of collapse due to aging.
He said the rehabilitation work for the plant with a capacity of 5000 cubic meters of water per hour was initiated to prevent a potential health crisis and ensure the continued provision of safe drinking water to Abuja residents.
According to him, the extensive work, he explained, included the repair and replacement of equipment in the inlet pump station, clarifiers, and filters, as well as significant upgrades made to electromechanical and chemical systems, the water testing laboratory, and the power infrastructure, including replacement of backup generators.
He said that with the completion of these works, the plant has been fully restored to its original capacity of 5000 cubic meters per hour and is now ready for use, adding that it will also enhance the overall water supply network and ensure that the water quality meets international standards.
