PRESIDENT’S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE: WIKE REVEALS PLANS FOR WEEK-LONG PROJECTS COMMISSIONING IN FCT
…REITERATES THAT HE IS NOT DISTRACTED
1. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a 9-day timeline, tagged FCT Week, for the inauguration of completed projects in the FCT.
2. The FCT Minister who made the revelation on Friday, May 17th, 2024, when he carried out the final inspection of some of the ongoing projects that are scheduled for commissioning in the FCT, said the FCT Week will commence on the 27th of May with the inauguration of commercial operation of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit.
3. Other projects to be inaugurated by the President during the FCT Week, which were inspected by the FCT Minister, include the official residence of the Vice President, the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from the Villa Roundabout to the Ring Road 1 with four number of interchanges as well as the B6 and B12 Circle Road.
4. Barrister Wike expressed satisfaction with the level of completion of the projects and commended the contractors for keeping their promise of completing the projects within schedule.
5. He added that the FCT Administration has also kept to its side of the bargain by providing adequate project funding and assured that the FCT is ready to commission the projects.
6. Barrister Wike said, “By the approval of Mr. President, we believe that from the 27th of this month, we shall start the inauguration of the various projects.
7. “Particularly on the 27th, we believe the President will flag off the commercial operation of the Abuja Metro line. We believe on Monday, we will do the final inspection of that. From what we have seen, I think we are good to go”.
8. Barrister Wike also reiterated that he was focused on his work as the Minister of the FCT and was not distracted by the political situation in Rivers State.
9. He said, “I am not distracted. If I am distracted, you won’t see this performance here. I am focused on my work, so I’m not distracted. I’m Minister of the FCT and work is going on. I don’t even think about it at all”.
10. Speaking on streetlights in the FCT where he noted the concern of residents, Barrister Wike stated that streetlights were currently being test run in the areas where projects were ongoing and assured that they would become functional as soon as the projects are completed.
11. He said, “As I speak to you, they are working on it. And you also know that most of the projects we are doing, you don’t expect the lights to be on now. So, sometimes, most of the streets you are talking about are those that are being worked on. We believe that before the commissioning, you will see most of the lights will be on”.
ANTHONY OGUNLEYE
DIRECTOR OF PRESS
(OFFICE OF THE MINISTER)
17/05/2024
FCTA/ODP/PR/539