Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike has assured residents of the territory of his commitment to ensuring timely completion of all capital projects saying he will never allow unnecessary bureaucracy stall such projects.
This was as he warned officials of the Administration against sabotaging rural road projects under his watch in the Area Councils.
Wike gave the warning on Friday at the flag-off of the 7.2km Gaba-Tokulo-Kaima road in Bwari Area Council.
He told the residents that all abandoned Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA projects as identified by chairman of the council will be restarted.
“I am not going to be involved in award of any contract when we don’t have money and that was why when I came on board, I tried to discourage directors to stop this idea of putting projects when there is no money. It doesn’t make sense.
“The greatest 419 (fraud) you do to a community is flagging-off a project and the next one month you don’t see any contractor again. That is the highest 419.
“We will not be involved in that. If I start a project, it must be completed. I am not going to do a project that will last more than one year. I won’t be a party to that .
“A project that will cost you N6 billion, then you go and put in the budget N300 million. Are you willing to complete that project then? Certainly not. So, we are going to change the narrative. We are going to change the way people use to do things before. We are going to do something that will have direct impact on the people.
“Tinubu asks me to tell Bwari Area Council people that all what they requested should be given to them. Therefore, all your requests on the abandoned projects which were initially to be carried out by FCDA, I can assure you that by the directive of the president, go home and sleep with your two eyes closed. Those projects must be restarted.
“Part of insecurity is as a result of lack of basic infrastructure. People don’t have access roads and that makes things difficult for even security agencies to carry out their jobs very well. Each day, you hear that there is crisis in the neighbouring communities. How can the police and other security agencies go there when there is no good road?
“I told the civil servants that this is not going to be a period where they will bring bureaucracy to what they are doing. They minute a file to you, the file will stay two weeks? Woe be unto you that you will make anything that will not make this project to go on well.
“When a file comes to you for payment of contractors, ensure you process and pay to them because when you keep the file you suffer the projects, and who will suffer? The community suffers. I am not going to tolerate that. Anybody who sabotages our efforts will also be sabotaged, so have it at the back of your mind”, he added.
On his part, the Chairman, Bwari Area Council, John Gabaya said the Gaba-Tokulo -Kaima road project was initiated during the administration of former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida among many other abandoned projects in the area.
Earlier, Esu Bwari, Ibrahim Yaro commended the minister for identifying with the people and pledged to provide the necessary support for the project to be executed.
Yaro also conferred the traditional title of ‘Barden Bwari’, (protector or defender of Bwari people) on the minister.
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