Since the movement of the nations capital from Lagos to Abuja by the military administration of late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed and General Olusegun Obasanjo and completed by the civilian administration of Alhaji Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari over four decades away, the upsurge of gridlocks witnessed in the last week in the current administration of Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administered by Nzenwo Nyesom Wike has been monumental.
The gridlocks which is beyond the usual hustle and bustle of the Nigeria’s city centre in the early days of movement to the Federal Capital Territory FCT was fo herald the reconstruction, rehabilitation, remodeling and construction of roads and infrastructure neglected in the last four decades away.
The gridlocks which lasted for over one week defied preparation for the minimum wage strike and even the two day strike embarked upon by the labour leaders to enable President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commission the endless projects carried out by the FCT Minister in the last nine months.
Soon after the President returned to the nation’s capital after commissioning several projects of the federal government and Lagos state government including Lagos- Calabar coastal highway, on Monday 27th , May , 2024, he resumed project commissioning embarked upon by the Minister , Nyesom Wike led administration in the FCT.
The roads scattered all over the city territory was last renovated in the early movement to the federal capital territory in 1983, when the civilian administration of Late Alhaji Shehu Shagari assumed office for his second term in office.
The movement though partial, was officially acknowledged during the late Murtala Ramat Mohammed administration, even when subsequent administration was shuttling between Lagos and the new nations city , Abuja.
The nine months renovation which covered from AYA junction to all roads and streets of Asokoro linking Aso Rock Villa, the seat of government scattered around the federal secretariat, to Maitama district that had made the entire city of government weared a new look.
For Wike nine months administration of the FCT, he touched all streets that existed in the zones, districts and the three arms zones were the seat of government is currently settled.
The commissioning from Monday 27th, May, 2024 spread across the whole week and extended to the second week of 3rd , June, 2024.
Wike aside embarking on remodeling and reconstruction of roads also completed the moribund Wuye flyover, from the zones residence that was awarded and abandoned close to a decade , that has relieved the residence of Wuye district, Zone one , two , three , four , five and six among other zones of traffic congestion around Berger roundabout linking Wuye, Jabi and Utako districts.
The Apo district flyover linking the AYA, Villa and Asokoro district from abattoir interchange was also completed and commissioned along with the ongoing work on the Apo, Karshi, Orozo highway abandoned for over a decade and capable of opening up and decongesting the AYA , Nyanya, Mararaba axis of usual hold up that was becoming perennial including the Aso drive, Gwarimpa axis.
Within the whole week that started from Monday 27th, May, 2024 – Monday ,3rd, June , 2024 was a celebration of gridlocks laced with the development of the FCT.
Aside reconstruction, rehabilitation and commissioning of the roads across the nations city, Wike also brought back to life the Abuja metroline project abandoned by the previous administration to be utilised free of charge for two months by the residents of FCT, extended to six months, to end of the year , 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Wike also attracted development to other sectors across the FCT which included human capital development, staff welfare, appointment and regularisation of appointments to ensure smooth administration of the present administration Renewed Hope Agenda.
The reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads across the nations capital has brought back life to the city centre and it is capable of reducing the threats of bad roads, insecurity, unusual delay and gridlocks been witnessed before the inception of the present administration.
The FCT administration under Nyesom Wike, the roads are now motorable, secured and safe for commuters and ordinary Nigerians resident in the territory.
The infrastructural deficit and decay witnessed in the last four decades was gradually becoming a thing of the past ,as the Minister is determined to rewrite the history of the obsolete infrastructure the nation’s city capital was known for.
*ABUBAKAR YUSUF, A Public Affairs Analyst writes from Abuja,he can be reached on [email protected].
