Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday defended the development record of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that ongoing investments in roads, bridges and water infrastructure are transforming the nation’s capital and improving the lives of residents.

 

Wike spoke at the commissioning of the Interchange at Arterial Road N16–Ring Road II intersection linking Jahi District to Gwarimpa District, Abuja, where President Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, formally inaugurated the project.

 

The minister used the occasion to respond to criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that even opposition voices had acknowledged the administration’s achievements in infrastructure development.

 

According to him, roads remain the bedrock of economic and social development, providing access to schools, hospitals, farms and commercial centres.

 

“Without roads, you cannot go to hospital. Without roads, you cannot go to school. Without roads, you cannot go to farm. Road is the bedrock. Road is the engine of development in any part of this world,” Wike said.

 

He noted that the newly commissioned interchange was initially awarded before the Tinubu administration assumed office but had received neither mobilisation nor funding until the current government intervened.

 

The minister described the completion of the project as evidence of the administration’s commitment to continuity in governance, stressing that government programmes should not be abandoned simply because they were initiated by previous administrations.

 

“One of the problems we have in this country is that leaders often abandon projects started by their predecessors. President Tinubu has shown that government is a continuum. What matters is completing projects for the benefit of the people,” he said.

 

Wike said the interchange would significantly ease traffic congestion in one of Abuja’s busiest corridors, linking key districts and reducing travel time for commuters.

 

Recalling a message he received from a resident of Gwarimpa shortly before the event, the minister said many residents had doubted the project would ever be completed because of its scale and strategic importance.

 

He maintained that the administration’s interventions were not limited to roads, citing ongoing efforts to expand water supply infrastructure across satellite towns in the FCT.

 

The minister pointed to the recent commissioning of water projects in Karu and disclosed that another major water scheme in Bwari would be inaugurated next month.

 

“It is not correct that we are only doing roads. The other day we were in Karu providing water. On July 14, by the grace of God, we will also commission the provision of water in Bwari,” he said.

 

President Tinubu, in a speech delivered by Akpabio, described the Jahi-Gwarimpa Interchange as more than a transportation project, saying it represented “freedom of movement” and tangible evidence of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

 

“This is not just a bridge and slip roads. This is freedom of movement. This is time returned to our people. This is Renewed Hope you can drive on,” the President said.

 

Tinubu noted that the intersection had long been a major traffic bottleneck, with congestion stretching across several parts of the city, resulting in lost productivity, wasted fuel and delays for businesses and commuters.

 

According to him, the new interchange would improve connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and services, strengthen security and support economic growth across the Federal Capital Territory.

 

The President also praised Wike for driving infrastructure development in the FCT, saying the minister had effectively translated the Renewed Hope Agenda into visible projects.

 

“You took my charge to make Abuja work and you are executing it well. From roads to bridges, from city centre to satellite towns, you are domesticating Renewed Hope across the FCT,” Tinubu said.

 

Earlier, Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the interchange as a critical infrastructure project that would connect communities, businesses and opportunities across Abuja.

 

She said the project would reduce travel time, improve access to commercial centres and support the needs of the territory’s rapidly growing population.

 

Mahmoud also commended Tinubu for his support for infrastructure development and hailed Wike’s leadership in accelerating the transformation of Abuja into a modern and globally competitive capital city.

 

She urged residents to take ownership of public infrastructure and support government efforts aimed at building a more prosperous and inclusive Federal Capital Territory.