Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that about 70 per cent of the infrastructure projects completed by the FCT Administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were contracts inherited from previous administrations after remaining abandoned for between 15 and 16 years.

Wike said the decision to revive and complete the projects was in line with President Tinubu’s directive that viable government projects should not be left to waste, stressing that the administration deliberately prioritised inherited projects while simultaneously embarking on new ones across the nation’s capital.

The minister spoke on Thursday during his monthly media chat in Abuja, where he reviewed the administration’s infrastructure drive and defended its project execution strategy.

According to him, abandoning projects already funded with public resources would have amounted to a disservice to residents of the Federal Capital Territory, who had waited for years to benefit from critical infrastructure.

“The President said we can’t abandon old projects. While we cannot abandon old projects, we must also carry out new ones.

“I can tell you that about 60 per cent of the projects we have executed in the last three years were projects awarded 15 to 16 years ago but abandoned.

“If we had allowed that, people would still be asking questions about those abandoned projects. So, we first made sure they were completed, and we have achieved that with not less than 70 per cent of them,” he said.

Wike explained that the administration adopted a dual approach by completing inherited projects while initiating fresh infrastructure aimed at expanding the capital city’s road network and accelerating development in satellite communities.

He noted that several new road projects and other critical infrastructure had been undertaken alongside the completion of legacy projects, adding that the objective was to improve connectivity, decongest traffic and open up new districts for residential and commercial development.

The minister attributed the pace of infrastructure delivery in the FCT to President Tinubu’s continued support for the administration, particularly the decision to remove the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

According to him, the policy has significantly improved access to funds, enabling the administration to finance critical infrastructure projects without the delays previously associated with the TSA arrangement.

He maintained that the improved financial flexibility has translated into accelerated project execution and timely payment to contractors, thereby boosting confidence in the territory’s development agenda.

Wike assured residents that the administration would sustain the momentum by continuing to invest in roads, bridges and other public infrastructure designed to enhance mobility, stimulate economic activities and improve the quality of life in Abuja and the satellite towns.

He reiterated that the FCT Administration remains committed to delivering projects that align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, insisting that the ongoing transformation of the nation’s capital would be sustained through prudent management of resources and the completion of both inherited and newly initiated projects.

 

reiterated that the FCT Administration remains committed to delivering projects that align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, insisting that the ongoing transformation of the nation’s capital would be sustained through prudent management of resources and the completion of both inherited and newly initiated projects.