Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced that buses and cars meant for the operation of the Mabushi and Kugbo Bus Terminal, as well as the soon to be completed one in the Central Business District (CBD) will arrive soon, in preparation for the facility’s take-off.
Speaking during an inspection of the ongoing construction CBD Bus Terminal on Saturday, Wike said the government was partnering with private companies to provide buses and taxis, all painted in the Abuja colour.
He however reiterated that the government will kickstart the operations of the terminals with its own fleet of vehicles, stressing that the initiative will help to eliminate the “one chance” syndrome by ensuring vehicles are identifiable.
“Eventually, the government will have to partner with the private individuals, but for now government has to put in their own contribution so we can start off the operation of the bus terminals with vehicles that will be painted in the Abuja colour. That again will help as we try to eliminate the one chance syndrome. You know you are entering a vehicle and you can identify it. So private people are also going to be part of it, but this is our own contribution before that starts”, he stated.
Providing more updates on the CBD Bus terminal, the Minister noted its high quality and uniqueness in comparison to the recently commissioned Kugbo and Mabushi terminals and commended the contractor for a good job.
He said, “As regards the bus terminal in Central Area, I am quite impressed with the quality of the job. If you check it, it is quite different from the one commissioned in Kugbo and Mabushi. The contractor is bent on finishing it by the end of the year. I believe by then, the vehicles which were procured for the take-off of those terminals would have also arrived”.
Speaking on the Pai/Gomani road, which he also inspected, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work on the crucial 15km road, which connects remote communities in Kwali Area Council to the Abuja/Lokoja Expressway.
He noted that the 15-kilometer Pai-Gomani road project was awarded before the A2 to Pai section of the road of the same length, which has since been completed and commissioned, frowning at the delay and non-performance by the contractor.
Wike also expressed frustration over the issue of unauthorized cost variation on the project, lamenting that the purported variation amount was nearly equivalent to the original project cost, which exceeded his ministerial approval limit.
“There appears to be issues of variation, and I am not too comfortable with that, and when we go back, we will look at that, and those who did not do what they are supposed to do will have to be sanctioned because people believe that you can go ahead without certain approvals. I don’t have the power to give that kind of approval when it comes to that kind of amount of money.
“That contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council, so it is beyond my power, and for you to get that, you have to write to the President to get approval for variation, and then you go back to Department of Public Procurement to approve the cost, and then you go back to the Federal Executive Council for the final approval. That’s why I said those who carried it out without seeking for approval, will have to be sanctioned,” he said.
The Minister however expressed confidence in the capacity of the contractor handling the Gomani to Yangoji portion of the road to deliver a good job in time for the third anniversary celebration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also emphasize the commitment of the FCT Administration to the provision of rural infrastructure in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, citing the unprecedented developmental projects across the FCT Area Councils, including the newly re-awarded Apo-Karshi road and the Kubwa to Bwari road projects, among others, as examples.
He said, “This is the first time that satellite towns have been given priority. As I speak to you, you know we have cancelled the abandoned Apo-Karshi road project, which has now been given to Salini Construction Company (SCC), and as you go there now, work has started seriously. We have also started the Kubwa to Bwari road.