President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the 17-year-old abandoned roads B6, B12 and Circle Road in the Central Area of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The project was awarded on 14th, May, 2007, at cost of N48.5 and later in January 2021 revised to the tone of N98.8 billion.
The President, who was represented on Thursday in Abuja, by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the completed road infrastructure will pave the way to enhance economic activities, improve accessibility and a higher quality of life for Nigerian citizens.
He said; “It is with a deep sense of pride that I inaugurate Roads B6, B12 and Circle Road in the Central Area of the now beautiful city of Abuja, completed in record time, under the watch of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, His Excellency, Barr Nyesom Wike, under one year in office.
“This event stands as a testament to this administration’s unwavering commitment to infrastructural development and urban renewal, a cornerstone of our vision for a more prosperous and much more connected Nigeria. When I assumed office one year ago, my administration set forth an ambitious agenda to transform our nation’s infrastructural landscape. We recognise that an efficient transport network remains vital for economic growth, social integration, and overall national development.
“Today, as we commission these strategic roads, we are not just opening pathways of asphalt and concrete but also paving the way to enhance economic activities, improve accessibility, and a higher quality of life for our citizens. Roads B6 (Constitution Avenue) and Road B12 (Independence Avenue), are located in Abuja’s Central Area District within the zone of the city, which houses the three-arms zone, cultural and diplomatic zones, as well as Ministries, state liaison offices, corporate and commercial offices.
“The completion of these roads remains a demonstration of what we can achieve through dedicated planning, unwavering commitment and elaborate collaborative efforts. These roads are designed to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel time, and provide a more seamless connection between key areas within our Capital City.
“The roads represent our broader objectives to create a robust and efficient transportation network across the Federal Capital Territory and beyond. I’d like to commend the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, his team and the FCTA and all the stakeholders involved in this project that we have commissioned for the past seven days. Your hard work, dedication, and adherence to higher standards of quality have made these achievements possible. As we celebrate, let us also recognise that our job is far from being over. As a testament to our Renewed Hope Agenda, we remain committed to continuing this journey of building more roads, bridges, and essential infrastructure that will connect our people and drive our economy.
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Earlier, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, thanked the President for providing leadership via Renewed Hope Agenda, for a road that was awarded in 2007 to be completed in less than one year.
Mr. President it will be interest to know that this road was awarded 14th of May 2007, at the cost of 48.5 Billion Naira. It was later revised in January 2021, at the cost of 98.8 Billion Naira.
“Now when you talk about Renewed Hope, for a road that was awarded in 2007, in just one year of Mr. President’s administration, the road has been completed. For those who know mathematics, they can tell you that it is up to 17 good years. Today Mr. President in just one year has been able to deliver it. This is the kind of leadership we are talking about. The right leadership gives the right results and it’s because we have that now, that we can getting the right result.
“When Mr. President inaugurated us in August 2023, he gave Myself and the Minister of state a matching order that any project that has not been completed, we must make sure that we complete projects before we embark on any new project and that is why what we’ve been doing since is completing all the projects that were awarded by previous administrations since 2007 to 2010 to 2015 to 2019. If you check our budget of 2024, 58 per cent of our capital expenditure is tied to old projects and then 42 per cent is to enable us go on new projects.
“That is leadership because Mr. President is focused and he has given the narrative that the is what must be done.”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE