FCT Minister says the administration prioritized reviving long-abandoned infrastructure projects while launching new developments across the capital and satellite towns……
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that a significant number of infrastructure projects delivered by the FCT Administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were not newly initiated but inherited projects that had remained abandoned for more than a decade.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Wike revealed that nearly 70 per cent of the projects completed by the administration were contracts awarded between 15 and 16 years ago but left unfinished by previous governments.
According to the minister, the decision to revive the projects was in line with President Tinubu’s directive that viable government projects should not be abandoned, regardless of when they were awarded.
“The President made it clear that we cannot afford to abandon projects that are already of value to Nigerians. While we are pursuing new projects, we also have a responsibility to complete inherited ones,” Wike said.
He explained that allowing the projects to remain abandoned would have amounted to a waste of public funds and continued to deprive residents of critical infrastructure meant to improve their daily lives.
Wike noted that the administration deliberately placed priority on completing the backlog of abandoned projects before expanding its portfolio with new developments.
“I can tell you that about 60 per cent of the projects we executed over the last three years were projects awarded 15 to 16 years ago but abandoned. If we had ignored them, people would still be asking why they were left unfinished. We ensured they were completed, and we have achieved that with not less than 70 per cent of them,” he added.
Beyond completing inherited projects, the minister said the FCT Administration has also embarked on several new road and infrastructure projects across Abuja and the satellite towns as part of efforts to improve connectivity and stimulate development.
He attributed the pace of ongoing infrastructure delivery to President Tinubu’s support, particularly the decision to remove the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), a move he said has made funding more accessible for critical projects.
Wike maintained that the administration remains committed to expanding road networks, opening up new districts and delivering projects that will improve transportation and enhance the quality of life for residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
