FG to spend N13bn for Abuja satellite towns

General Martin Agwai (retd.), Chairman, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), said Federal Government would spend N13 billion to provide infrastructure in satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory, this year.

Agwai, who was a guest at NAN Forum in Abuja, said that the projects would be funded by SURE-P.

He said that infrastructure that would be provided in the towns included roads, electricity and water.

He said that the government decided to create roads and other facilities in Abuja and its environs to make construction of houses in the capital territory easier and to ensure that the buildings met international standard.

According to him, Abuja is a city that most people will like to come and see, but most of its satellite areas are not in the best of shapes.

“The plan is to meet international standard so that the disparity between the satellite towns and the city of Abuja will not be too wide,” he explained.

The chairman stated that during the year, SURE-P would also provide N10 billion to support the funding of ongoing Abuja light rail project to ensure that it was completed.

According to him, when completed, the rail project will help to reduce the challenges in the transport sector in the capital territory.

He said that SURE-P was intervening in the rail project because it was Federal Government’s priority, adding that work had also begun on a new standard railway gauge from Abuja to Kaduna.

“We hope that by the end of this year, that rail line will be completed and we will have trains running from Kaduna to Abuja in less than two hours.

“Then, people can live in Kaduna and work in Abuja. After all, how long does it take people to come from Mararaba to work in Abuja town,” he said.

Agwai explained that the role of SURE-P was to help in the provision of critical infrastructure in the country.

“It did not stop there; government also wants SURE-P to be an instrument, which when it leaves, will leave some capacity on ground.

“In line with this, SURE-P works with Project Implementation Unit (PIU) from various ministries, departments and agencies. These PIUs are the link between us, the project and the ministry or agency,” he said.