The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday flagged off the Lot 2 Karu Water Project, while also assuring residents of Karu and its environs that the long-abandoned 2-kilometre Karu Site road will soon be reconstructed.
The Karu project is the third in a series of water supply interventions embarked upon by the FCT Administration in recent days.
Earlier in the week, the Minister had inaugurated similar projects in Ushafa and at the Lower Usuma Dam in the Bwari Area Council.
Karu, one of the largest satellite towns in the FCT, has for years suffered from a shortage of potable water, forcing residents to depend on untreated boreholes and other unsafe sources.
The new expansion project, when completed, is expected to serve Karu Site, Karu Village and surrounding communities, including Jikwoyi, Kurudu, and Orozo.
Wike said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s promise to extend a clean and safe water supply to satellite towns in the FCT.
According to him, while Bwari and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) are covered this year, Kuje and Gwagwalada will be targeted next year, with Kwali and Abaji expected to benefit before the end of the President’s second term.
“This is one of the promises made by Mr. President when he commissioned the Abuja Greater Water Project in June.
The acting Managing Director of CGC Nigeria Ltd, Hai Ming Lv, confirmed the new timeline, promising timely completion.
Earlier, the acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, described the expansion of Karu water supply as a strategic project aligned with the FCT master plan.
He assured that the scheme would provide safe, sustainable water to residents.
In her remarks, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, underscored the importance of water as a basic necessity for human health, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems.
She expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for supporting tangible projects that directly impact rural communities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Alongside the water project, Wike also pledged to fix the Karu Site road, a 2-kilometre stretch that runs from the Karu flyover junction to the Karu Site roundabout down to the Customs Hospital area.
The road has long been in a deplorable state, causing untold hardship for commuters. At the flag-off event, the Minister emphatically declared, “Now the road you said is about 2km, Karu Site road — consider it done.”
The announcement was greeted with excitement by residents and community leaders who had long appealed for the intervention.
Senator Philip Aduda, who hails from Karu, and the Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairman were among those present.
Wike highlighted the importance of collaborative leadership in delivering infrastructure, pointing to other road projects executed under his administration, including the Nyanya–Jikwoyi–Karshi road, Saburi road, Ketti road, Kabusa road, and the Kabusa–Takushara road.
The Minister stressed that the FCT Administration will continue to prioritise critical infrastructure in satellite towns to ease transportation challenges, boost economic activity, and improve the living conditions of residents.
“This intervention is about improving lives, whether through potable water or durable roads. Our goal is to ensure that communities in the FCT feel the impact of government through projects that address their most pressing needs,” Wike said.
With both the water and road projects underway, residents of Karu expressed optimism that their longstanding infrastructural challenges will soon be resolved.
