The FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, has flagged off Lot 1 of a 198km water pipeline project to provide potable water to residents in the Bwari Area Council and its surrounding communities.
Wike, who spoke at the project unveiling on Wednesday, said President Bola Tinubu had fulfilled his promise to provide pipe-borne water to residents of Abuja.
“One thing you must give to Mr President is that, when he makes his promises, he always fulfils his promises. Today, we are in Bwari. Tomorrow, we will be in Karu, in essence, taking two area councils together.
“The President has mandated that the contract for this ought to be 18 months. But we discussed with the contractors and pleaded with them that they have to do all it takes, so that by the third-year anniversary of Mr President, we’ll be able to commission these projects,” he said.
Wike also disclosed that 50 per cent of the total contract sum had been approved and disbursed to the contractors, Messrs China Geo-engineering Construction Limited, stating that the administration was taking development to the satellite towns, as well as the city centre.
“The contractors assured us that they would try as much as they could if funds were made available. Based on that, Mr President immediately approved the release of 50% of the total contract sum to CGC Nigeria Limited.
“Now, what this tells us also is that we are concentrating development only in the city’s area. We are also carrying development to the area councils. By the time we finish in Bwari and Karu, in the next year’s budget, by the grace of god, we will be able to go to Kuje and Kwali. And then by 2027, by the grace of God, we will have taken over Gwagwalada and Abaji,” the minister said.
He further said the job will provide “not less than 1,600 direct jobs,” and that the project will stop residents from continually digging boreholes, and instead, “just link up to the general water source, and then the water will flow.”
In his address, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Richard Dauda, said the installed pipes will provide water to “residents of not only Bwari township, but the extension to Ushafa, to Jigu, Kuduru, Kuchuku, and other communities in Bwari Area Council,” thus improving the lives and well-being of the people.
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