Tinubu flags off Tungan Madaki-Zuba access road, says project will boost connectivity, economic growth

President Bola Tinubu on Monday flagged off the construction of the Tungan Madaki to Zuba access road in the Federal Capital Territory, describing the project as a major step towards improving connectivity, boosting economic activities and extending development to gateway communities around Abuja.

The President, who was represented at the ceremony by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the road would connect rural communities to economic opportunities, reduce transportation costs and improve access for residents who have long grappled with poor road infrastructure.

Tinubu said the new road was a continuation of the recently commissioned Bill Clinton Drive-Tungan Madaki road, noting that the project reflected his administration’s commitment to expanding infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“What began as one road is now growing into a network, and that is how real development takes root,” the President said.

According to him, communities along the corridor, including Tungan Madaki and Zuba, are home to farmers, traders and students who deserve the same level of access to infrastructure as residents in the city centre.

He said the road project aligned with the administration’s economic and security objectives, explaining that improved access to farming communities would enhance food production, create business opportunities for young people and strengthen security response in the area.

Tinubu also described the project as strategic to the Abuja Master Plan, saying it would decongest the city centre, provide alternative routes for commuters and strengthen the economic corridor linking Abuja with Kaduna and the North-West.

He added that the road would encourage investments in housing, healthcare, education and industrial development along the axis.

The President commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for driving infrastructure development in the nation’s capital, saying the administration had prioritised project completion and tangible results over abandoned projects.

He urged the contractor handling the project to deliver quality work within schedule while employing local labour, and called on residents of the benefiting communities to support and protect the project.

Speaking at the event, Abbas praised Wike’s performance as FCT Minister, saying the territory had witnessed significant infrastructural transformation under his leadership.

According to the Speaker, anyone familiar with Abuja before and after Wike’s appointment would acknowledge the pace of development across the Federal Capital Territory.

In his remarks, Wike disclosed that the Tungan Madaki-Zuba road was not initially included among projects scheduled for inauguration to commemorate Tinubu’s third year in office.

He said the project was added after the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kassim, requested that the road be extended from Tungan Madaki to Zuba to benefit more communities.

Wike commended the council chairman for what he described as exemplary leadership, saying the request demonstrated a commitment to attracting development to his people.

The minister said the project was in line with Tinubu’s directive that satellite towns within the FCT should be connected to the city centre and to one another through improved road infrastructure.

He assured residents that the administration remained committed to ensuring that all area councils benefited from ongoing development projects.

Wike also commended residents of Tungan Madaki for cooperating with the government and prioritising development, directing the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, to complete the project by December so it could be commissioned before the end of the year.

Earlier, the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, said the road project underscored the administration’s commitment to inclusive development, adding that it would improve mobility, stimulate economic activities and enhance the quality of life of residents.

She commended Tinubu for supporting critical infrastructure projects in the FCT and praised Wike’s leadership in expanding development across the territory.

Providing the technical details of the project, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Richard Dauda, said the new 7-kilometre road would extend the completed Bill Clinton Drive-Tungan Madaki road to the Abuja-Lokoja Road at Zuba.

According to him, the road will connect communities including Tungan Wakili, Anguwan Lasheri, Tungan Jiwa, Tungan Nasara, Tungan Samu, Amawa and Jima.

Dauda said the project would provide an alternative route for motorists travelling from Zuba, Kaduna and Kogi states to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, while opening up agricultural communities, creating jobs, reducing travel time and improving security in the area.