The chief of Saburi, Alhaji Muhammed Yamawo, has likened the newly completed Saburi road to a bride, saying the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has given him and the community a beautiful new wife.
He was reacting to a question on how he feels about construction of the 5-kilometre Saburi Access road by the Wike-led Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The Dagachin Saburi spoke in Hausa language in his palace last week when members of the FCT Minister’s Press Corps visited the community for feedback following completion of the road.
Visibly elated Dagachi expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the FCT Minister, and Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu among others.
The community leader particularly thanked the minister for keeping to his promise of giving them the road and for the provision of a new Primary Health Care and a new Police Division in Saburi.
A visit to the sites proved that work has already commenced in earnest for the health facility and the Division.
Another respondent, Engineer Akin Akinwande, owner of a car wash stand, praised God and also thanked the President and FCT Minister for the road.
He said: “Since Wike did this road from Saburi I-Saburi II-Deidei market, business has improved tremendously. And the road is a standard road. It’s not like the one they did for us about five years ago, which spoilt under two to three weeks.
“But this one, you can see the standard of the road. For me, this is the first time we have a Minister in the FCT whom we are benefiting from.”
Akinwande noted that his car wash business received a boost immediately after the road was completed.
According to him, just about 20 cars used to pass through the area but the number has increased to over 100 cars within a few minutes.
“We were doing this car wash business but it was not moving. All the people coming from Deidei, Dawaki, and other places now pass here because of this access road; this shortcut now has brought many customers for me.
“Before now, we had just about 10-20 cars pass here but now we have over 100 cars pass within minutes and this has increased my business”, he reiterated.
However, Akinwande pointed out that a diversion of drainage along the road beside Emperor Garden, into an untarred street could pose a challenge in the near future if not taken care of now.
He called on the Minister to ensure it was attended to properly to prevent a foreseing challenge.
Nicolas Emmanuel, who owns a furniture workshop in the community also thanked the Minister for “remembering” them and prayed God to keep him so that he would continue the good work.
He decried the hitherto poor state of the road and stated that they were now enjoying the road.
Emmanuel emphasized that many motorcycles used to have accidents plying the road, especially during the rainy season, while during dry season, the whole place used to be covered with dust, giving him extra work dusting the furniture, even as some got spoilt by the excessive dust.
“The dust also used to give us catarrh but that’s no more, and business has also improved”, he added.
Justina Ochoche, an akara-beans cake seller, who also talked to us, expressed happiness over completion of the road saying: “We did not have road before. There used to be mud everywhere here, and our children used to fall while trekking on the bad toad.
“But now that government remembered us, there is no more dust and mud, even when rain falls we are free. They also packed all the refuse and everywhere is clean now. God bless Nigeria.
Ochoche prayed: “God will bless Wike, even his generation. E go better for am because e don do good for Saburi Deidei”.
She also revealed that the road has improved her Akara business since more people ply the road and stop by to patronize her.
Similarly, Emeka Oduma, told us he was very impressed and happy over what the FCT Minister has done for them in Saburi I.
Oduma, a truck driver who has lived in the community for about ten years, stressed that the road was a good thing and they were happy over the development.
He, however, lamented high cost of taxation, appealing for reduction in taxes, as well as for the construction of more roads and markets for the people.
Oduma also called on other Nigerians to follow Wike’s footsteps, saying: “Those who will come after him should follow his footsteps. He’s a good man for giving us a good road network in Saburi I.
Another member of Saburi I community, and owner of 234 Stores, Emmanuel Ogboh also said he was “really really happy with the development of the road.
“Before now, our roads were actually bad and when it rains, it’s really difficult for cars to pass, but now that the Minister of FCT has done the road, it has not only made movement easy, but has equally brought more business flow as cars from other places of Abuja, including Kubwa and Deidei, pass here and patronize us and it brings about turnover”, Ogboh said.
However, he made case for construction of speed bumps on the road saying some drivers overspeed now because the road is smooth, noting it could lead to accidents.
Ogboh cited an instance when he was almost hit by a driver who was driving recklessly. They need something to reduce their speed.
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