Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the contractor handling the dualisation of the Kuje Airport road to extend the project to Gwagwalada.
Wike explained that the memo for the extension would have been presented to the Federal Executive Council, but the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, postponed the FEC.
He said the memo would be presented for approval in the next FEC meeting.
He ordered them to start the earthwork while the approval processes were ongoing.
Wike gave this directive yesterday while inspecting the ongoing Kuje Airport Road.
The Minister said most of the job from Giri junction to Kuje would be finished by December, and the earthwork of the extension from Kuje to Gwagwalada should also be done by December.
“They have promised that by the end of 2024, they would have finished everything about earthwork. So, the work is going on fast here in Kuje, as per the dualisation of this garage road. By December, the contractor will have handed it over.
“We have also directed them to continue the dualisation from Kuje to Gwagwalada, which will ease transport difficulties and reduce travel time when going to Gwagwalada.”
Wike said the road will ease movement and open up the economy of these areas.
“Everybody in Kuje going to Gwagwalada will also go straight, and I know the economic impact these will trigger. Mind you, all these constructions include streetlights. It will change the landscape of the entire city.
“People do not need to leave Kuje to go and live in the city to go to work. It will be within 20 to 25 minutes, and you are already in the city, and that is what everybody hopes for.”
Regarding funding, Wike said he was generating enough revenue and using the internally generated revenue to develop the FCT.
“It is our IGR that we are using to pay. There is no other money coming from anywhere. Again, we are strict on the number of projects, and we ensure that we have gone far before awarding another project and that the funding is available so that it is not an abandoned project.
“So, it is not that we have much money, but it is just that we are trying to prudently manage what we have and apply it to the best interest of our people.”
The Minister also charged TCN with relocating its power line so that the road construction could proceed as scheduled.
Wike, however, frowned at TCN’s slow pace of relocation.
“This is a public road, not a private road. It is to be used by everybody in the interest of the public. The transmission company will be told to expedite actions to relocate their electrical installations. We will ensure that every stakeholder understands the importance of the quick handover of that road.”
Wike told the cheering residents to support the government of the day and the contractor to deliver on the project for the good of all.
FCDA Executive Secretary, Shehu Hadi, explained that the road is 11 km long.
He said the road is designed to last 30 years and that by December, there will be a clear road corridor from Kuje to the Airport.
