By Sarah NEGEDU
As preparations for the 2025 budget defence gains momentum in the National Assembly, the leadership of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, said it has attained almost a 100 percent budget performance.
According to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, every project featured in the 2024 budget have been implemented to at least 90 percent.
The minister who was speaking during the inuguration of the 5km Tipper Garage Junction-LEA Secretariat in Kuje Area Council, noted that the FCT Administration is able to achieve the feat, due to the support it enjoys from the president.
“He has always given approval. And I can say that this is one territory that our performance in budget, every project we have included in the budget, by the grace of God, we have implemented not less than 90 percent of what is in the budget.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without your support.
And like I said, if the President does not also release money, it would not have been easy for us.”
He said, “Ask us, what are we doing with the money? We owe you a duty to let you know taxes paid must be used for the interest of the people. So, I have told people who care to ask us. All these taxes we are paying, what are you doing with it? We can show them what we are doing with it.
The minister also urged residents to pay their taxes to enable government meet its obligations to the people.
“Since Monday, three days ago, we have been commissioning projects till Saturday. And by May, when Mr. President would have talked two years in office, we are going to show the world what we have also done. What Mr. President has done for FCT as he talks two years in office. So, we are ready to satisfy you, to let you know that we owe you that duty, to explain to you, money being raised, what we are using it for. It’s for the people of FCT.”
The minister while recounting the process that led to the award of the road project, also announced approval construction of the Kuje-Pegi road as well as the 27km Kuje-Kwaku road.
To residents of troubled Pegi community, whom the minister acknowledged seeing protesting regularly at his office gate, “When I was coming, in fact, sometimes I see them at the gate of my office. They carry placards and I’ve been laughing. Today, let me tell you, my Mr. President has again approved that we must have to continue Kuje to Pegi road. By the grace of God, when we are presenting our budget. Our statutory budget, to the National Assembly, we will include it.
“If you see our national budget, which Mr. President has submitted to the National Assembly, sometimes last year, we went to China, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a company called CGC to provide water to the satellite towns, and one of the area councils is Kuje Area Council. So, in this year’s budget, Mr. President has provided a sum of N50 billion to provide water to the satellite towns, which Kuje will be a beneficiary.
The minister who also charged politicians on delivering on their campaign promises to the people irrespective of their party affiliation, stressed that political parties are merely vehicles with which to attain their ambitions.
“It has nothing to do with party, it has to do with your people. Party is a vehicle that conveys you, when you get to where you are heading to, you calm down. Is that not correct? Tinubu’s administration is not about party. It is about Nigerians. Changing the lives of Nigerians, and that is what we are doing here.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the council, Abdullahi Sabo, commended the FCT minister for investing huge resources for the development of area councils.
Sabo said that Wike’s dream of transforming satellite towns in FCT was becoming a reality, adding that Kuje was wearing a new look following the Minister’s intervention.
He thanked the minister for extending the contract for the dualisation of Kuje to Gwagwalada Road, and appealed for the extension of the ongoing construction of Airport – Kuje Road, from Kuje to Kwaku, covering 27 kilometres.
He said that the request was necessary due to the importance of the road, to connect more than 100 villages and communities to Abuja city, via Kuje.
“The road, if constructed, will address the challenge of insecurity in that axis, improve agricultural production, transportation of agricultural produce to urban centres and reduce rural urban migration.
“As area council, we have one bush clearance, constructed culvert and graded the road while construction of three bridges is ongoing across three major rivers along the road,” he said.
