The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has placed governance and service delivery at the centre of his administration, assuring that key road infrastructural projects in Abuja will be completed by May for commissioning by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of his third anniversary celebrations.
Wike gave the assurance after an extensive inspection tour of major project corridors, including the interchange handled by China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC), the Airport Road–Kuje junction stretch by Arab Contractors, and the Kuje first section being executed by Gilmor Engineering Nigeria Limited.
According to the minister, the inspections are part of a deliberate governance strategy to ensure accountability and timely delivery, especially as deadlines approach.
“We are coming out to check whether the promises made by the contractors will be fulfilled. The projects are expected to be handed over by the end of May, and from what we have seen, the work is progressing well,” he said.
Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work, describing the performance of contractors as “very impressive,” while stressing that monitoring will be continuous to sustain momentum.
“I am generally impressed with the quality of jobs by CGC, Arab Contractors and Gilmor. But this will not be a one-off exercise. We will continue to visit every one or two weeks to ensure they remain on track,” he added.
He emphasised that the FCT Administration will maintain pressure on contractors while also providing the necessary support to ensure delivery timelines are met, noting that governance must translate into visible impact for residents.
Highlighting public response as a key metric, Wike said the provision of alternative routes during construction has helped ease movement and boost residents’ confidence in the projects.
“When people are happy, you are happy. One of the qualities of a good contractor is the ability to provide alternative routes when construction affects movement. We are glad that residents appreciate what is being done,” he said.
The minister noted that the growing presence of residents around project sites reflects public approval and serves as motivation for the administration to deliver more.