President Bola Tinubu has spent over N300 billion on development infrastructures in satellite towns in the six area councils across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, dismissed reports yesterday in Abuja that development projects were concentrated in the city centre to the detriment of satellite towns and rural areas.

Wike cited the construction of “strategic roads”, and rehabilitation of schools and health facilities as examples of development projects executed in the last 12 months in FCT rural areas.

The minister, who began commissioning over 70km of road in the six area councils, last Monday, said other key projects that could improve the socio-economic and security of lives are being constructed in the satellite towns.

According to Wike, over N50 billion has been expended on projects in each of the six area councils in the last year.

The present wave of road commissioning in the area councils began on Monday with the newly constructed 5km Naharati-River Ukya to Unguwan Hausawa Road with three Span River Bridge in Abaji Area Council.

On new projects, the minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said: “New road projects like the construction of Kabusa-Takushara Access Road, construction of Kabusa-Ketti Access Road, access road to the new EFCC Academy site in Giri District and 15km Road from A2 Junction Abuja-Lokoja Road to Pia in Kwali Area Council are going on, with a completion date expected to be met.”

Meanwhile, residents around places of construction in the FCT have expressed happiness over the employment opportunities provided by the projects.

Some of the rural dwellers, employed by the construction companies handling rural roads in the six areas councils expressed gratitude to Wike and Tinubu for bringing a new lease of life to them and their family members.

Speaking with journalists, the rural dwellers enlisted by the construction companies explained that the companies, which had employed them also, trained them from ordinary farmers to semi-skilled labourers in the construction sites.

Community Liaison Officer, employed by SETRACO Construction Company, Ibrahim Maikori, a native of Paikonkore, said before the creation of FCT around 1976, the road had been in existence, without any government intervention.

He said awarding the road from Paikonkore to Ibua, by the minister, brought a lot of relief and succour to the area, in terms of security and movement of farm produce to the city centre, especially Gwagwalada.