How Wike Transformed Abuja In 9 Months

By Remi Johnson

Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is the former Governor of Rivers State popularly nick- named “Mr Project” due to his antecedents in projects and infrastructural development.

Before Wike’s assumption into office as the 17th FCT Minister, several multi- billion naira projects initiated by previous administrations in the nation’s capital were abandoned, while rural community development suffered some sort of neglect.

However, Mr Project under President Bola Tinubu’s Administration effected some drastic changes that reshaped the FCT administrative structure and changed the narrative of awarding contracts without proper funding, and announced that most of the internally generated revenue would be utilized for completion of abandoned projects, to avoid over dependency on budgetary allocation, as Government is a continuum.

Wike, upon assumption in office on the 21st of August 2023, toured the city to inspect ongoing projects, where he discovered several uncompleted projects.

Determined to make positive impact, Wike swiftly had an emergency interface with contractors to ascertain their challenges.

The fallout of the meeting revealed that most of the contracts were suffering from poor funding.

To address the issue of non payment, Wike mobilized all contractors back to site, turning the city of Abuja into a massive construction site.

Also, Wike took a bold step to intervene and resolved contentious issues surrounding the Abuja Airport Second Runway project.

He also warned all directors and Heads of FCTA agencies to either brace up for the task ahead or resign if they lack the capacity to work with him, warning that he has zero tolerance for sabbotuers According to him, “it is not going to be busy as usual”.

Wike, a mighty gladiator in the political landscape and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP described his appointment by President Tinubu as a rare privilege and vowed to serve in the best way possible to transform the city in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.

Wike, being a man that keeps to his promises, within two weeks in office, fixed the street lights that were hitherto non functional, across the length and breath of the territory, while faulty ones were quickly repaired, and new ones installed in some areas, and today, the city of Abuja is well litted.

On revenue generation, Wike’s foresight brought to bare the emphasis on groundrent payment that was untapped prior to his assumption in office, he therefore explored the avenue, which led to an upsurge of groundrent payments to the tune of over 2bn naira within two weeks of assumption of office.

He also redefined the land administration operations to check activities of land racketeers.

Another achievement of the Wike led Administration within this nine months was the construction and rehabilitation of rural community roads across the Six Area councils totalling 42.2 km.

The move, Wike said was targeted at bringing Governance closer to the people to renew their confidence in Government and also enjoy the dividends of democracy.

The roads include, construction of the 9km Paikon- kore- Ibwa road in Gwagwalada, 11.3km Yangoji road in Kwali, 5km dual carriage way at Kuje, 5km Naharati Ukya- Angwan Hausawa road in Abaji, 7.2 Gaba-Tokulu road at Bwari, and 5km Tipper Garage-LEA Road in Kuje area council.

Others are the Saburi 1&2 road AMAC, along side the resurfacing and rehabilitation of 135 roads in September 2023, and another 189 roads within Maitama, Garki and Utako in February.

October 2023, saw another major significant milestone under the Wike led Administration in policy reforms that birthed removal of the FCTA from the Treasury Single Account, TSA, the creation of FCTA Head Of Service, HOS, and establishment of the “Women Affairs Secretariat”, a development that had never happened since the creation of FCT as the nation’s capital.

On security, to nip in the bud the activities of One- Chance and kiddnappers terrorizing the city, Wike placed a 20 million naira bounty on two notorious kiddnappers, and urged the FCT Police Command to fish them out, either dead or alive.

A total number of 100 motorcycles were therefore handed over to the security agencies to enable them navigate the hard to reach areas with difficult terrains in the hinterlands.

Similarly, under the Wike led Administration, conversations are ongoing by the FCTA to procure drones to further enhance security in Abuja.

On Education, the Administration kick started the phase one renovation of 19 FCT Schools across the territory simultaneously and resolved the crisis rocking the LEA to prevent the incessant strike action.

On welfare, Wike cleared 40℅ of the backlog of arrears being owed teachers and distributed 50kg bag of rice to all cadre of staff in December 2023 as their end of the year package, a gesture the FCTA staff described as an auspicious moment in the history of FCTA.

On transportation, the Abuja Metro Rail project under Wike has attained 99% completion, ready for commissioning by President Bola Tinubu on the 27th of May 2024, as part of projects that will be commissioned to mark Mr President’s one year anniversary .

Wike also initiated re-certification and profiling of commercial taxis, Uber & Bolt.

According to him, fortifying commercial taxis with good tracking tools, would sanitize the transport sector and check the One-Chance menace.

Some promises underway by Wike, include: plans to train Mathematics and science teachers, provide additional operational vehicles and communication gadgets to security agencies, and provide affordable urban mass transit buses.

Other efforts are ongoing in wooing investors to come and invest in the tourism, security and agriculture sectors, completion of the Utako hospital construction as well as plans to upgrade most of the Health Centers in rural areas in line with the vision of the renewed Hope agenda, amongst others.

These strides by Nyesom Wike has been greeted with accolades from all quarters both from the national and international communities.

By this development, the assertion that a prophet is not recognized or valued in his home town was defied in Wike’s case as Minister of FCT; this is evident in the manner the indigenous people of FCT, Royal fathers from Area councils conferred on him various titles for his numerous achievements.

These titles include “Sarkin Yaki Paikon- kore,” by the Aguma of Gwagwalada, the “Barde of Bwari” by the Estu Bwari, “Jikan- Dan- Majindadi of Kuje,” “Jagaban Kudu of Jiwa” and the “Kauran- Kwali”.

Some residents, Abubakar Sabo from Gwagwalada, Ben Adoga from Nyanya, and Kayode Oloruntoba in AMAC testified that Wike has given the FCT a new look.

According to Abubakar Sabo, “Wike na TALK-NA-DO Minister.”

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has also assured residents to go to sleep, that all promises made will be kept, noting that any awarded contract under his leadership would not be abandoned.

Wike however emphasised that he will not venture into any project without cash backing to logically bring it to completion within a period of one or two years.

Edited Grace Namiji