The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has criticized former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, over his claims that the ongoing road projects in the FCT do not translate to development.
Wike, through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, faulted the former minister’s reasoning, describing it an “exhibition of the dire need for help by a mind that is fast transiting from psychology to psychosis.”
Olayinka, in a statement over the weekend wondered why the former minister will argue on live television that road projects in the FCT does not impact the general well-being of the people, as many Nigerians do not own vehicles.
He said, “Dalung, whose tenure as Minister of Youth and Sports was monumentally disastrous even went to the ridiculous extent of saying that dualisation or road construction cannot be emphasized as development because many Nigerians do not have vehicles.
“To someone under whom Nigeria failed to successively qualify for the Nations Cup, roads are only useful to Nigerians who have vehicles. What a jaundiced reasoning!”
While reeling out some of the road projects being embarked upon by the Wike-led administration, Olayinka listed the projects to include the ongoing Saburi–Dei Dei road, 5km Dutse-Usuma Dam road, War College/Army Checkpoint and other ancillary roads within the Bwari Area Council, as well as the 25km Kwaita/Yebu road in Kwali Area Council.
Others are the 11km Yangoji-Sukuku-Ebo road in the Kwali Area Council, 9km Paikon Kore/Ibwa road, 11km Kuje road and the 11km Aguma Palace – Radio Nigeria – New Market Road in Gwagwalada Area Council.
The minister’s spokesman expressed his disappointment that a former minister will claim that such projects won’t translate to any development, since according to him, many Nigerians don’t own vehicles. He asked if “those who don’t have vehicles will not use the roads.”
“In the estimation of Dalung too, these roads being constructed in satellite towns like Kabusa, Ketti, Takushara and Lokoja road linking Pia will serve no single developmental purpose when completed.”
Olayinka further criticized Dalung’s tenure as sports minister, calling it a period marked by poor decision-making and insensitive remarks.
“For instance as a Minister, when there was delay in the payment of allowances for the Super Falcons during their participation at the 2016 African Women Championship in Ghana, he told reporters that, ‘Don’t forget that nobody even knew the team (Super Falcons) will emerge victoriously. If we were confident they will emerge victoriously, all the federation would have done is to plan for the process of participation and entitlement.’
“Also, during the Rio 2016 Olympics, when the Sports Ministry under Dalung failed to release funds for the soccer team to prepare for the Games, he told reporters; ‘Who took them there? What are they there for? Because they are under 23 and they went to the US. Now they are having problems, does that become our business?”
He therefore argued that the concern of Nigerians, especially those close to the former minister, “should be his mental health, which is daily showing signs of an urgent need for help.”
