Daybreak Abuja
…Says work is ongoing to connect satellite towns to main city
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has declared that every project started must be completed under the present administration.
Wike made this declaration on Tuesday at the flag-off of the construction of A2 Pai 15 kilometer Road from Etu junction to Pai in Kwali local Government Area.
Wike said, “Be assured that under Mr. President’s tenure, every promise we have made, every project we have started, we will complete all of them. We are not going to abandon any project at all.”
The minister thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support in bringing back hope to the hope of people in the satellite towns under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“What the President is doing through us is to connect the satellite towns to the main city so that you don’t have to say, let me go and stay in the city.”
“By the time we provide water to the satellite towns including good roads, then we will be talking about having a positive impact on governance.”
” And I believe that by the time we put solar lights on this road, it will look like a city.”
Wike explained that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the satellite towns would be given amenities like water and streetlights to discourage urban pull and decongest the city.
Speaking on the A2 Pai road construction in the Kwali area, the minister said,”In essence, if you add the 15 km to almost 18 km of Pai to Gomani, you are talking about the 33 km road” You can imagine what the people here will benefit at the end of the day.”
He explained that the additional road will boost security for the people and also aid security agencies to have access to provide security for them.
“Some few months ago, when we came here, we came to Pai to Gomani to flag off that route. On our way going to that place, I was asking question, what happened here? Why is there no road?”
” How do you get to that area? The people going to that area must pass through this place. How will they feel?”
“We will not allow it, we will come and flag off this road so that as this contractor is working from Pai to Gomani, will also work from A2 to Pai.”
The minister expressed dismay over the slow development in Abuja in 1976 when the city was created.
“Abuja was created in 1976, and it has had a total disconnect between the city and the towns. Ordinarily, we would have had not only one city, we would have had more than two or three cities to discourage people from moving out to congest the main city.”
The minister, who said the roads will be completed by May next year, also thanked traditional rulers and the Area Councils Chairmen for their cooperation, adding that their support in working together has brought about the rapid development of the various area councils.
