The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has invested about N300bn in the development of the six area councils within the FCT over the past 17 months.
Wike made this disclosure on Wednesday while commissioning the newly constructed 9-kilometre Paikon Kore-Ibwa road in Gwagwalada Area Council, which was executed at a cost of N8.5b.
“Mr. President committed N8.5b to construct this road,” wike said while noting that “The Aguma Palace-Market Road is N22b and will be commissioned in May this year during the president’s second anniversary.
“We have also completed and are still renovating several schools, including the School for the Gifted Gwagwalada, Government Secondary Schools in Gwagwalada, Anagada, Tunga Maje, and Giri, with a total value of N16.5b. This does not include the three police divisions currently under construction.”
The minister stressed that Tinubu’s commitment to Gwagwalada alone stands at over N50bn within the period.
“If you calculate the total value of what Mr. President has committed to Gwagwalada alone, it exceeds N50bn in less than two years.
“If you now add all the six Area Councils, you will see that Mr. President has committed not less than N300bn for the development of satellite towns. It is important for people to have these details so that no one can claim that development efforts are focused solely on the city center,” wike said.
The Coordinator of the FCT Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, highlighted the speed of the Paikon Kore-Ibwa road project, noting that the contract was awarded to Mrs Setraco on January 5, 2024, with construction commencing a week later on January 12.
“We are here today, January 22, 2025, to commission the road. This road has significantly improved business opportunities and the transportation of goods and services
“The contract was awarded to Mrs Setraco, on January 5, 2024 and commenced on January 12, 2024,” he stated.
Similarly, the Community Liaison Officer for the project, Ibrahim Maikeri, expressed satisfaction with the road’s impact on local communities.
He noted that over 70 communities along the route have benefitted from the construction.
“The Paikon Kore-Ibwa road was neglected for more than five decades, which made it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets outside Paikon Kore. This development has brought much-needed relief to the people,” Maikeri said.
Residents of the area commended wike for his intervention, and express hope that similar projects will be extended to other underserved areas of the communities.
