The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s strong commitment to improving access to clean water in Abuja’s satellite towns. He made this known on Friday during a project inspection tour in Abuja, where he addressed questions regarding his recent official visit to China.
Wike explained that his visit to China on May 1 was aimed at finalising discussions with officials of the China Geo-Engineering Corporation Overseas Construction (CGCOC) Group. The visit was a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and CGCOC for a major water supply project targeted at Abuja’s suburban areas.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Wike said that the Tinubu-led administration had prioritized the Abuja City Water Supply project, particularly the segment along the Airport Road, which is expected to be completed within the administration’s second year in office. However, he emphasized that the President had gone further to instruct that satellite towns around the capital must also be provided with clean and safe water.
“This is a critical project for Mr. President,” Wike stated. “As I speak to you, Mr. President has included funding for the satellite towns’ water supply in the National Budget, which has been approved. We have also reflected this in our statutory budget that has been submitted to the National Assembly.”
He revealed that the implementation of the water project would begin in Bwari, Karu, and parts of Kubwa, noting that the procurement process was already underway at the Bureau of Public Procurement. The same company handling the Greater Abuja Water Supply project, CGCOC, will also be responsible for executing this initiative.
Wike took the opportunity to commend President Tinubu for his unwavering support of the FCTA’s efforts to deliver impactful infrastructure and services to residents across various sectors including roads, education, and healthcare.
He noted that a significant portion—85 percent—of the FCT’s proposed statutory budget would be directed towards completing ongoing projects, while only 15 percent would be allocated to new ones. This approach, he said, is intended to avoid project abandonment and ensure that existing developments are finished and put to public use.
Wike stressed that ongoing projects in the FCT extend beyond roads, encompassing key improvements in the education and health sectors. He disclosed that approximately N140 billion has been earmarked specifically for capital projects in the education sector under the FCT statutory budget.
“Our goal is not to initiate fresh projects, but to complete those that have been started in the past. Abandoned projects will be revived and completed to benefit the people,” he added.
The minister’s remarks underscore a broader development agenda being driven by the Tinubu administration, aimed at ensuring inclusive growth and improved living conditions for residents of the FCT and its surrounding communities.
