Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has reassured residents of the nation’s capital, Abuja, that the territory is a safe and secure city.
Wike stated this during a routine inspection of the FCT Administration’s ongoing infrastructure projects under his watch on Saturday, including the Wuye District infrastructure and the Federal Highway 105 from the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Kuje township.
Wike, who was responding to a question from newsmen about recent security concerns in the nation’s capital, emphasised that there is improved security in the FCT compared to what obtained in the past, stressing that isolated incidents of insecurity do not define the city’s overall safety.
He said: “If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city,” noting that the ‘Light Up Abuja’ programme, which involves installing solar streetlights across districts and expressways, is also a strategic initiative to further enhance security.
“The problem we have here is that when one incident happens, we forget that three months ago, nothing happened. You should give us and the security agencies credit that we are doing quite a lot to make Abuja safe, and Abuja has been safe.
“We do agree that something may happen, but that does not mean that Abuja is not safe… I don’t want us to take that to mean that the city is not safe. If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city.”
Speaking on the projects inspected, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace and progress of work, noting that Arab Contractors, the firm handling the Wuye District infrastructure, has assured that the project is nearing completion, with the road expected to be finished within 10 days.
The Minister also praised the work on the Airport Road to Kuje dual carriageway, which he had visited multiple times.
Wike noted that the eight-lane road will significantly reduce travel time, allowing Kuje residents to reach the city centre in just 15 to 20 minutes. He expressed confidence that the road will be inaugurated during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third anniversary celebration.
He said, “For a regular passerby who knows this area very well, if you come here now, you will give it to them; Arab Contractors have done a good job. You can see how beautiful the landscape is. We believe that, God willing, just as they have promised, with our support — and we will continue to support — latest, during the third anniversary of Mr President, we believe that this road will be one of the roads that will be inaugurated to the delight of residents of Kuje and the entire people of Abuja, and of course to the happiness of all Nigerians.”
“The level of infrastructure is such that we have not seen before, and everybody will attest to the fact that if you are living in Kuje, you don’t need to go and find a house in the city to live. By the time this road is commissioned, which is not less than an eight-lane dual carriageway, in about 15 or 20 minutes, you are already in the city centre — and that’s what development is all about. That’s what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about. So, we are happy,” the Minister stated.
Addressing sanitation challenges, Barr. Wike also confirmed that the FCT Administration is actively removing indiscriminately dumped refuse, particularly along Airport Road and in the Nyanya/Karshi area. He revealed plans to award new contracts for refuse disposal within the next two weeks, promising to select only competent contractors with the capacity to ensure that the city remains clean.
“We believe that in the next two weeks, the contract will be formally awarded for refuse disposal. That, I can tell you, will help us quite a lot,” he said.
Wike stated this during a routine inspection of the FCT Administration’s ongoing infrastructure projects under his watch on Saturday, including the Wuye District infrastructure and the Federal Highway 105 from the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Kuje township.
Wike, who was responding to a question from newsmen about recent security concerns in the nation’s capital, emphasised that there is improved security in the FCT compared to what obtained in the past, stressing that isolated incidents of insecurity do not define the city’s overall safety.
He said: “If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city,” noting that the ‘Light Up Abuja’ programme, which involves installing solar streetlights across districts and expressways, is also a strategic initiative to further enhance security.
“The problem we have here is that when one incident happens, we forget that three months ago, nothing happened. You should give us and the security agencies credit that we are doing quite a lot to make Abuja safe, and Abuja has been safe.
“We do agree that something may happen, but that does not mean that Abuja is not safe… I don’t want us to take that to mean that the city is not safe. If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city.”
Speaking on the projects inspected, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace and progress of work, noting that Arab Contractors, the firm handling the Wuye District infrastructure, has assured that the project is nearing completion, with the road expected to be finished within 10 days.
The Minister also praised the work on the Airport Road to Kuje dual carriageway, which he had visited multiple times.
Wike noted that the eight-lane road will significantly reduce travel time, allowing Kuje residents to reach the city centre in just 15 to 20 minutes. He expressed confidence that the road will be inaugurated during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third anniversary celebration.
He said, “For a regular passerby who knows this area very well, if you come here now, you will give it to them; Arab Contractors have done a good job. You can see how beautiful the landscape is. We believe that, God willing, just as they have promised, with our support — and we will continue to support — latest, during the third anniversary of Mr President, we believe that this road will be one of the roads that will be inaugurated to the delight of residents of Kuje and the entire people of Abuja, and of course to the happiness of all Nigerians.”
“The level of infrastructure is such that we have not seen before, and everybody will attest to the fact that if you are living in Kuje, you don’t need to go and find a house in the city to live. By the time this road is commissioned, which is not less than an eight-lane dual carriageway, in about 15 or 20 minutes, you are already in the city centre — and that’s what development is all about. That’s what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about. So, we are happy,” the Minister stated.
Addressing sanitation challenges, Barr. Wike also confirmed that the FCT Administration is actively removing indiscriminately dumped refuse, particularly along Airport Road and in the Nyanya/Karshi area. He revealed plans to award new contracts for refuse disposal within the next two weeks, promising to select only competent contractors with the capacity to ensure that the city remains clean.
“We believe that in the next two weeks, the contract will be formally awarded for refuse disposal. That, I can tell you, will help us quite a lot,” he said.