Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has promised residents that all projects launched under his tenure will be completed on time.
Wike said this on Wednesday during the flag-off of the construction of an access road from Ring Road 1 by N16 to the Judges’ Quarters and internal roads within the Judges’ Quarters in Katampe District.
He said, “No project under our tenure will last beyond us. These contracts have been awarded by the Federal Executive Council, not FCT, Federal Legislative Council.
“And no project under our tenure will last or will stay beyond us, no. Every project we award, by the grace of God, I will make sure that we finish those projects. We are not going to leave any abandoned projects for anybody. We will not do that.
“We are not going to leave projects where there will be variation or augmentation. In our own time, nothing like augmentation, nothing like variation. So we will pay you as at when due. And that’s why these projects, when initially the contractors are talking about social number of months, I said no. I said, look, take this number of months.
“The money is available. You can finish the job. The only reason why you see most contractors do not, because they are not sure that there is a fund to pay. In our own case now, because of the confidence, the contractors now rush to sites.
“Even when they have not been mobilised, they say, look, we believe, we know that you will pay. And that’s what is important. When you give contractors the confidence that they will be paid, and they know that they will be paid, they will make sure that the jobs are done.”
He mentioned that the cost of land has increased by 500% due to the construction. He emphasised the importance of road construction in alleviating the hardships faced by the people.
“We will not rest until we see that all the districts are all connected with good roads. It is very, very important that one thing that makes a city clear is good roads, good network of roads.
“It makes a city very clear. And as I can say, because people know that this road has been awarded, I can tell you that if you want to go and buy land now, it has skyrocketed more than 500%. That is what good roads can do.
“These roads are very key for us in order to reduce the hardship our people are facing. And now the mandate, Mr. President, has given that every district in Abuja, before we create new districts, the ones that have been created should have the basic infrastructure that cities are supposed to have.”