By Sarah NEGEDU
After several years of failed deadlines on the Apo-Karshi Road project, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, on Thursday, announced the revocation of the contract, ending 14 years delay on the project.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said the decision had become necessary as government cannot play politics with governance and infrastructure development.
The 13-kilometre Apo-Karshi Road project was first awarded in 2011 by the then Minister Bala Mohammed to Kakatar Construction Company at the sum of N6.3 billion.
The project, however, suffered several setbacks despite government paying 86 percent of the contract value, which was later reviewed upward to N33 billion in 2023.
But FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who spoke with journalists after inspecting several ongoing projects across the territory, confirmed that the FCTA had formally re-awarded the contract to SCC Nigeria Limited.
“Let me tell you the truth, we have terminated that contract; it has been reawarded to SCC. If you go there now, you’ll see that they’ve started work. It’s a road that so many people are very interested in because it will decongest some of these areas. So that’s why we should do it, and like I said, we cannot continue to play politics when it comes to the welfare of the people. That road project has been terminated.
“And the road leading from Kubwa to Bwari has also started, so that there will be an alternative route to Bwari. That’s also awarded to SCC. So, we can assure you that things are moving very well according to plan.”
Wike on Thursday, inspected some ongoing projects including the Apo-Wassa Road, the Karu-Customs-CBN Road, and the N20 Road by Gishiri Bridge in Katampe District.
Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace of work in Karu, where he said the contractor had significantly progressed on connecting roads that would be lined up for President Bola Tinubu’s third-anniversary commissioning.
He added that houses obstructing natural water channels would be removed to prevent flooding. “I am quite impressed. And those houses that blocked the water channel, we are going to bring them down, to enable water to have its own way,” he said.
The minister also commended the quality of work in Gishiri, where CGC had earlier completed roads inaugurated by the President in June. He said additional sections would also be ready for commissioning next year.
“People had never seen this type of development in Abuja before,” he said, adding that the excitement of students and pupils at the sites was a sign of renewed public confidence. “When we see that people are happy, people appreciate that they can see development,” he added.
Speaking on the administration’s priority for the coming year, Wike said the focus would be on completing all ongoing projects rather than introducing fresh ones. “We are not likely to put any new projects. We want to make sure that the projects we have started this year will be completed in 2026,” he said.
