Abass Lauds Wike’s Developmental Strides In The FCT

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass has commended the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike for his visionary leadership and for his holistic approach to the development of the Federal Capital Territory.

This, he said, has ensured that the city centre and the rural areas of the nation’s capital are given adequate attention, thereby enhancing the quality of life of FCT residents.

The Speaker gave the commendation when he flagged off the construction of a bus and taxi terminal in the Mabushi District of the FCT on Monday, July 1, 2024 at the site of the proposed terminal building.

The Speaker described the Federal Capital Territory as very strategic’ to the country hence the need to equip it with every modern facility, adding that proactive planning and investment in infrastructure were essential for the growth and development of the nation’s capital.

He also added that road networks are the lifeline of any modern city. In his words “Road networks and functional bus terminals are the lifeblood of modern cities. They facilitate the seamless movement of people, goods and services… The construction of the Mabushi bus terminal is a critical step towards enhancing transportation infrastructure in the FCT and ensuring that residents can commute safely and efficiently.

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“I will like to take this opportunity to commend the exemplary leadership of the Minister of the FCT, my dear brother, Honourable Nyesom Wike. In a remarkable short period, he had spearheaded the development of Abuja”.

The Speaker who stressed that the appointment of Barr. Wike by President Tinubu as FCT Minister was justifiable given the spate of development, further assured that the National Assembly will continue to support the FCT Administration.

Speaking earlier, the FCT Minister said the construction of the bus terminal is in accordance with the desire to make the FCT a first-class city and one of the best cities in the world in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Minister acknowledged the importance of a bus and taxi terminal for a metropolitan city like Abuja, saying it will not only improve transportation in the FCT but will also address security challenges like car robbery, popularly known as “one chance”.

According to the FCT Minister, “Part of the problems we are having is because we have not been able to know who are these people operating these taxis and buses and where they load from.

“So, we decided that we must start with three bus and taxi terminals in the FCT, one in the Central Business Area, one in Mabushi and one in Kugbo”.

Barr. Wike further disclosed that the contract for the construction of the bus and taxi terminal was awarded to a local contractor, Planet Projects to encourage human capital development and empowerment of indigenous contractors, and thanked President Tinubu for showing confidence in the ability of the indigenous contractors.

He said, “So many people have lost the hope of getting government contracts, everything that comes goes to foreign firms. But under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, he said you must encourage our local people who have the capacity to also deliver”.

The Minister therefore urged the contractor to justify the confidence of the President and the FCT Administration by ensuring timely completion of the project, which he said would be used to commemorate the President’s second-year anniversary in 2025.

The Minister further assured of the availability of funds, stressing that he would be personally involved in the monitoring and supervision of the project to ensure its timely completion.

He also called on the Mabushi community to give their full support to the contractor to ensure that the project is completed within schedule.

The Minister however decried the distortion of the Abuja masterplan, and regretted that the area earmarked for one of the bus and taxi terminals in the Central Business District had been wrongly allocated to a private individual with Certificate of Occupancy also issued, against the provision of the masterplan. He warned that the FCT Administration will take difficult decisions to correct the anomaly.

Also reacting to criticisms of the performance of the FCT Administration in the area of social services, the Minister said such criticisms were borne out of mischief and ignorance, insisting that the current FCT Administration has performed creditably well in the short time that it was appointed by the President.

Earlier in her speech, the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud commended the FCT Minister for his unwavering commitment to improving the transportation landscape in the FCT, stressing that the construction of the bus terminal will also enhance the FCT architectural landscape.

Dr Mahmoud also thanked President Tinubu as well as the National Assembly and other stakeholders for their support to the FCT Administration.

The Mandate Secretary, FCT Transportation Secretariat, Rt. Hon. Elechi, in his welcome address, said the bus and taxi terminal, when completed will address traffic congestion and reduce the cost of transportation in the FCT, adding that the terminal will also be equipped with modern facilities to enhance the experience of users.

Giving the project review, the CEO, Planet Project, Engr. Biodun Otunola, elaborated on the facilities that will be found at the bus and taxi terminal in Mabushi when completed, including CCTV, shops, ATMs machines as well as elevators and escalators.

He assured that the project will be iconic and will put Abuja on the world map in the league of world class cities like New York City.