By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT can no longer hide their joy as they praise the FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike, for creating over 3000 job opportunities at the various Bus Terminal Projects under construction at Mabushi, Kugbo and the central area of the nation’s capital.
The FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike, who officially flagged off the construction projects on July 2024, said,” it is to create employment for residents, ease their means of transportation and to eradicate issues of one chance and allied criminality in Abuja.
No doubt, the construction of the bus terminals in Abuja, the first of its kind, has significantly created jobs for residents in the face of enduring unemployment, in the country.
Some skilled and unskilled workers at the Mabushi, Kugbo and Central Area Bus Terminal Projects sites, who spoke with our FCT Media Feedback team, expressed their undept appreciation to the FCT Minister, for his rear initiative in bringing not only ease of transportation, but also economic relief, by job creation for residents, some prayed while others expressed their happiness.
Project Manager of Planet Projects, the contractor building the Abuja Bus Terminals, Rasheed Soladoye, said that since the inception of construction at the three bus terminals, the company has employed over 3000 skilled and unskilled workers, at various times, to work with the company.
He said, ” Over 3000 people have worked with us, and others are still working with us in this company, FCT residents have enjoyed enormously from this project, and we gave employed a whole lot of them, he said.
According to the Planet Projects Manager, the company is still employing more people, adding that, the Mabushi, Kugbo and Central area bus terminals, will all be completed by the end of February 2025, but we’re still on track, and we will deliver as schedule for the three projects. Mabushi, is about 92% now Kugbo is about 85% and that of central area, we are just about 50%, he stated.
He noted that the three bus terminals are an encompassing project, comprising a place for commercial activities, including event cinemas, where people can come for relaxation, we are bringing state of the art facilities, especially the central area, which is meant to be one home that the people of Abuja will love to see and enjoy, he disclosed.
An unskilled worker, Abigael Jatao, who resides at Mabushi, said that she was employed by Planet Projects as a cleaner one month ago .
“I have worked with this company for one month now. I enjoy working with them. I’m a cleaner, I clean everywhere, I work with them perfectly, It has changed my my life.”
Before I was cleaning someone’s house as a daily worker, but now I’m working in the company as a staff and not as a daily pay earner again.
Another worker who spoke with our Feedback team, Abigail, Daniel from Plateau State, who was recently employed at Planet Projects, appreciated the FCT minister for creating an employment channel for her.
She said, ” I thank God for the Minister. May God continue to lead him to continue to do the work,” Before I was working as a house help and cleaner a house, my madam travelled out, so she said she will open business for me, up till now, she never opened it for me. That is why I’ve come to find the work here. I thank God that they employ me here.”
A welder at Planet Project site who remain anonymous said that he has received his salary of 100,000 thousand on time since he started working with the company.
I really appreciate the efforts of the minister for the work going on. It really impacted my life positively , he said.
Financial Secretary, Association Of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, Patrick Enyiako in a like manner, appreciated Wike for introducing bus terminals into the FCT transportation system to bring down the cost of movement for residents and to end the incessant cases of one- chance
