By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike is the best appointment ever made in the history of democratic appointments in Nigeria.
The Vice President, Kassim Shettima who represented President Bola Ahmed stated this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the 3.5 km Inner Southern Express Way, ISEX, also known as Goodluck Ebele Jonathan way in Abuja.
Shettima said, “Wike is one of the best appointments ever made in the history of the current democratic dispensation in this country, and we have to commend Mr. President for the vision, for the wisdom, and the courage to appoint Barrister Nyesom Wike as the Minister of the FCT.”
“I am filled with gratitude to His Excellency, Barrister Nyesom Wike and his team, for their dedication and hard work in making this road a reality. These roads are tangible proof of our administration’s vision for a modern, prosperous and inclusive Federal Capital.”
“We celebrate not just the completion of yet another road project by the FCT Administration, but also the commitment of our administration to engendering progress and prosperity, he said.
President Tinubu emphasized that the completion of the ISEX represents more than just a road, it symbolizes connectivity, accessibility, opportunity and the unwavering determination to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas.
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike disclosed that the OSEX contract was first awarded in 2010 at the cost of N17 billion , but was reviewed to the tune of 18 billion in 2023, adding the Salini Company, the contractor handling the project, has been fully paid.
Furthermore, Wike listed other projects completed by his administration which includes, the completion of the awarded first phase of the rehabilitation of the National Assembly complex, the rehabilitation of Federal Secretariat and the about 117 km road stretches across Wise, Maitama and Asokoto.
“Mr. President, it may also interest you that when we came on board, all the many roads within the city, Maitama, Wuse, Garki, Wuye, and other areas, you can see a total rehabilitation of those streets just to give it what it is supposed to be. It is not less than 170 km when you add them up.”
So for us, we owe that gratitude, for allowing i and the Honorable Minister of State and our team, to be part of the renewed hope agenda that is bringing back hope to the residents of Abuja, Wike said.
Moreover, the Executive Secretary, FCDA, Engineer Shehu Ahmad Hadi used the occasion to give an overview of the ISEX, said the 3.5km road, handled by Salini traverses from the outer southern express way OSEX, to Southern Parkway(S8/S9) otherwise known as the Good luck Ebele Jonathan Way.
