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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared that his administration would continue to prioritise the completion of infrastructure projects that directly improve the lives of Nigerians, saying every district in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) deserves to experience the dividends of governance.
Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the inauguration of the Full Scope Development of Akinwumi Ajibola Street, comprising Important Local Streets (ILS) 16, 18 and 19 in Gaduwa District, Abuja, the President said the newly completed road project had restored access to a community that had suffered years of neglect despite rapid residential development.
“We are here to open a road, but more importantly, we are here to restore access,” Tinubu said. “For years, families in Gaduwa built homes here in good faith, yet they had no motorable road to reach those homes. When the rains came, the place became impassable. That is not how a capital city treats its citizens.”
Describing the project as a practical demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the President said his administration measures success by completed projects that deliver tangible benefits to citizens rather than promises.
“In this government, we measure ourselves by finished work. This street is finished work,” he said.
Tinubu commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, for transforming project delivery in Abuja through prompt funding, strict supervision and timely execution.
“When the Honourable Minister reviewed the files and saw the neglect, he did not issue another memo. He brought contractors back to site, gave clear targets and backed those targets with funding.
“Under this administration, there is no excuse of ‘no money’. We pay on time, and we demand performance on time. The asphalt you see, the drainage that will carry water away and the streetlights that will make nights safer are proof that we meant what we said.”
The President further praised Wike for extending development beyond Abuja’s city centre to districts and satellite communities.
“You have changed the culture of delivery in the FCT. You ended the era of mobilisation without movement. You ended the era of abandoned inner roads while major highways took all the attention.
“You are taking development from the city centre into the districts and the satellite towns, street by street, so that no resident is left behind. That is leadership.”
Tinubu noted that the completed road would improve mobility, reduce travel time, minimise vehicle damage, enhance property values and restore dignity to residents who had long struggled with poor access to their homes.
He urged residents of Gaduwa to protect the infrastructure by avoiding indiscriminate waste disposal into drainage channels and preventing vandalism of streetlights and other road facilities.
“We will not stop here. Across the FCT, from the central area to the area councils, our task is fixed: finish what matters, connect what was separated and ensure that public funds show up as public value. Every district deserves access. Every citizen deserves to feel government where they live,” he added.
Earlier, FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike said the inauguration marked the 16th project in the administration’s 31-day commissioning programme to celebrate President Tinubu’s third year in office.
According to him, the President had directed upon assumption of office that no district in the FCT should be neglected, whether within the city centre or satellite towns.
“You gave us a clear directive that every district in the FCT must feel the impact of this administration. Today, I can confidently say that no district can claim it has been left behind,” Wike said.
He attributed the rapid execution of projects to the seamless collaboration between the executive and the National Assembly, which, he said, ensured speedy budget approvals and releases.
The minister disclosed that the administration had undertaken projects across Jahi, Gwarinpa, Katampe, Guzape, Kwali and other districts, describing the current pace of development as unprecedented in the history of the FCT.
Wike also revealed that he only recently learnt that “ILS” means “Important Local Streets”, adding that the administration plans to assign proper names to roads to improve identification.
He, however, warned the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) against renaming roads constructed by the Federal Government without obtaining approval.
“If it is the Federal Government that constructed the roads within the city, permission must be obtained before naming those streets. Do not wait for us to build roads before putting names on them or using them to generate revenue,” he cautioned.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the commissioning as another milestone in the implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said the administration’s people-centred policies had accelerated the delivery of impactful infrastructure across the capital city and expressed appreciation to the National Assembly, traditional rulers, contractors, consultants, security agencies, development partners and residents of Gaduwa for supporting the successful completion of the project.
Mahmoud reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to sustaining the ongoing infrastructure transformation across Abuja.
