Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has appealed for the release of funds to complete the long-delayed Inner Southern Expressway, ISEX, project, warning that the contractor’s December delivery target depends on timely funding.
Wike, who made the appeal shortly after inspecting some ongoing road projects across the FCT on Tuesday, said the project, awarded in 2014, remains one of the last major road contracts inherited from previous administrations.
The minister said the contractor handling the 10-kilometre road had assured the FCT Administration that six kilometres of the project and some of its interchanges could be delivered before the end of the year if funds already provided for in the national budget are released.
“The contractor has assured us that, if funds are made available, they can complete six kilometres of the road, along with some of the interchanges, by December,” Wike said.
“We have appealed to the Minister of Finance because funding for the project is already captured in the national budget. If part of the allocation is released, the contractor will be able to meet the deadline.”
He said discussions with the Minister of Finance would continue until the funds are released, describing the project as critical to the transformation of the Federal Capital Territory.
“This project is very important to us because it will significantly transform the landscape of the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
Wike said the near completion of the Apo-Karshi Road and the expected delivery of the ISEX project would mark the fulfilment of the administration’s promise to complete projects inherited from previous governments rather than abandon them.
“The ISEX Road will be the last major inherited project awarded by a previous administration to be completed. Once we achieve that, we can confidently say that we have fulfilled our promise to complete all inherited projects awarded by previous administrations, whether from 2007, 2011, 2015 or beyond.”
The minister said work on the Apo-Karshi Road, which he inspected on Monday, was almost completed.
“The Apo-Karshi Road is almost completed. Yesterday, we inspected it, and the work is nearing completion,” he said.
According to Wike, abandoned projects had slowed development across the nation’s capital before the Tinubu administration came into office in 2023.
“The FCT is the nation’s capital, and having abandoned projects everywhere does not present a good image. When we assumed office in 2023, abandoned projects were scattered across the territory. That situation slowed development, delayed infrastructure delivery and affected communities.”
He said President Bola Tinubu directed that all inherited projects be completed to ensure public funds already invested were not wasted.
“Leadership requires continuity. Some people assume office and say they will only focus on projects they initiated. That is not leadership. Good leadership is continuing projects that are vital to the development of the city, projects that transform the landscape and improve the economy.”
Wike added that while contractors had shown commitment to delivering the projects, the administration would also meet its financial obligations to ensure work continued on schedule.
