Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the ongoing construction of critical road infrastructure in the nation’s capital is a strategic move to bolster Nigeria’s bid to host a future Commonwealth Games.
Wike made the declaration yesterday during the flag-off of the construction of Access Arterial Road S1, which will stretch from Ring Road 2 to the FCT Fire Station in the Kaura District of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The minister linked the city’s development to its international ambitions. “I hope you are aware that Nigeria is bidding to host the next Commonwealth Games. And it will be difficult for us to achieve that if we don’t have a good network of roads,” he stated.
The minister explained that a modern road network would serve as a major selling point to the international committee.
“When the committee comes and they see that the basic infrastructure is being provided, that gives us a leeway to be given the hosting right,” he said.
Beyond the international bid, the minister highlighted the project’s critical local impact, particularly for emergency services, pointing to the adjacent FCT Fire Station, noting that poor road access has hampered its effectiveness.
“We have always talked about fire incidents and the response is not usually timely. But we don’t ask ourselves, it is not only the fact that maybe they may be lacking some basic amenities, but they don’t have a good network of roads that will enable them to move down,” Wike said.
He expressed confidence that the new two-kilometre road, which includes a three-span bridge, would drastically improve the situation.
“By the time this road is constructed… anywhere there is any fire incident and they are called upon, they will respond immediately. Again, this also contributes to the efficiency of their job delivery,” he said.
The minister charged the contracting firm, which he praised for its work on the Abuja-Kaduna Road, to employ youths from the district, stating, “I want to plead with the company to allow the residents to participate in this road construction by employing our teeming youth who are willing to work.”
Wike reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to transforming Abuja under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing ongoing projects like the Airport-Kuje Expressway and the Kuje-Gwagwalada dualisation.
“It is my hope under the Renewed Hope Agenda, before the first tenure of Mr President ends, Abuja will be a different place and compete with other cities of the world,” he said.
Earlier, the FCT minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, in her closing remarks, said the project aligns with the President’s vision for improved infrastructure.
“It will also improve response time and operational efficiency of the FCT Fire Station located in the area, thereby strengthening public safety and disaster management,” she said.
