By Sarah NEGEDU
After years of neglect and near dilapidation, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has expressed willingness to complete the construction of the abandoned Kwali township stadium.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who made the commitment while flagging-off the construction of the 11 km Kwali-Sukuku-Yangoji road project on Wednesday, also promised the residents that all abandoned projects in the area council inherited by his administration will be completed.
Recall that former FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, approved the construction of the 20,000 capacity sporting facility along side five others across the six area councils, to encourage sport development in the grassroot.
While assuring residents of the territory of president Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving their welfare through massive project provisions and job creation, the minister empathised with residents over the high cost of living being experienced at the moment, noting that the situation was temporary.
He noted that the FCT Administration was working with area council chairmen to drive development in rural areas.
He said: “This is the time first time we are going to drive development in rural areas. We are touching rural areas to renew their hope, because they have suffered years of abandonment.
“This is your time to benefit. If we don’t take care of rural areas, then we have failed as a government.”
The minister explained that the rural road intervention and other infrastructural development earmarked for rural communities was in fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
According to him, the current government will be a complete failure if it fails to impact rural communities positively. He asked the area council chairmen to stay in their domain and develop their communities.
“Continue to stay at home. Don’t come to the city regularly. Stay there and do the work. My own is to support you. If you don’t do well for rural communities, you will create problems for the city,” he said.
Wike, who was conferred with the traditional title of Kauran Kwali (undefeated war leader) by the Kwali community, thanked the people for the gesture and promised not to let them down.
Earlier, the Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Mr Danladi Chiya, thanked President Tinubu for approving the construction of three rural roads in each of the six area councils.
Chiya said that the gesture would compliment the efforts of the Kwali area council towards improving infrastructure for the benefit of the people.
He said that his administration had constructed and rehabilitated 11.3-kilometre roads and graded 13 kilometre additional roads to ease the movement of his people and drive economic activities.
The traditional leader of the area, the Chief of Pai, Alh. Abubakar Sani, thanked President Tinubu and Wike for the commitment to provide infrastructure in rural communities, particularly roads.
Sani said that the road, when completed, would make easier for farmers to transport their farm produce and improve security in the area.
He appealed that the gesture should be extended to primary healthcare centres to improve the quality of health services in rural areas.
