Abuja’s broken suburbs not in Wike’s first roadworks targeting 135 roads

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike will flag off road repairs in Abuja on Monday, but the city’s broken and heavily populated suburbs will not feature in the minister’s first round of projects targeting 135 roads, his office said.

The former Rivers state governor took office last month as a federal cabinet member promising to steer the capital from “business as usual”.

Abuja has a population of over 5 million people, with most of them living in the suburbs. The city has faced severe infrastructure problems, made worse by the lack of adequate investment and maintenance in the past eight years.

Satellite towns such as Lugbe, Kubwa, Bwari, and Gwagwalada are particularly affected by these problems. Roads in these areas are often poorly maintained or non-existent, making it difficult and dangerous to travel.

There is also no mass transit system, which makes it even more difficult for residents to get around the city.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Wike said the administration will restore the Abuja masterplan, fix mass transportation and extend development to the six area councils to decongest the city.

The area councils are not featuring in the first set of projects — at least for now.

New start?

The minister said he will be flagging off the resurfacing of most of the roads in Garki and Maitama, and the projects will be financed through internally generated revenue.

The minister’s office said Mr Wike will inaugurate the resurfacing and rehabilitation of 135 roads on Sept. 11 as parts of efforts to improve road infrastructure in the FCT.

“The inauguration ceremony, which will take place along the Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II, Abuja, will be the first major infrastructural development project of the minister,” director of press Anthony Ogunleye said in a statement, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

“The minister has expressed his determination to ensure a rapid infrastructural development of the nation’s capital,” he said.

Mr Ogunleye said the projects will be implemented within Garki, Wuse, Gwarimpa and Maitama districts of the capital and will also include remedial work of major bridges.