Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), says the Apo-Karshi road in the nation’s capital will be developed into
a tourist attraction.
Speaking on Wednesday during an inspection of the road, Wike
said President Bola Tinubu had ordered the termination of the initial contract
after the indigenous contractor failed to deliver the project despite receiving
full payment.
He said Tinubu’s intervention paved the way for the award of
the contract to a more competent contractor.
Wike said the decision was informed by the strategic
importance of the road to residents and the development of the FCT.
“This road was awarded in 2010 to an indigenous contractor.
We did all we could to persuade the contractor to ensure that the job was fully
implemented, even though we had fully paid. But the contractor was not
forthcoming,” he said.
He said after Tinubu was briefed on the project, the
president directed that the initial contract be terminated and re-awarded to a
more competent company.
The minister said the administration was not distracted by
criticisms that followed the award of the new contract.
“When this contract was awarded, some people were asking how
we could award it at that amount. But we were not deterred. All we were
concerned about was the happiness and comfort of the people,” the minister
said.
On the project’s quality, Wike said the road was one of the
most publicised projects handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority
(FCDA).
He said the difficult terrain made its construction a
remarkable achievement.
According to him, reactions on social media showed many
Nigerians were surprised that a project of such scale and engineering
complexity could be delivered in the country.
The minister described the road as evidence of the Tinubu
administration’s commitment to infrastructure development.
He urged Nigerians to assess the government’s performance
holistically rather than judge it based on isolated issues.
“Look at what is going on in Abuja today, the level of
infrastructure and how it has turned out to be a tourist centre,” Wike said.
“I am happy that people are happy and that Nigerians have
seen the infrastructure development being carried out by the Tinubu
administration.”
On plans to provide public facilities around the road to
support its emerging status as a tourist destination, the minister said the
administration would develop appropriate amenities in collaboration with the
relevant departments.
“But be sure that I will make it happen as a tourist
centre,” Wike added
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