Wike vows to complete Karshi-Apo Road in 7 months

By Philip Yatai

Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has pledged to complete 13-kilometre Karshi to Apo Road project, the construction of which started 13 years ago in the next six to seven months.

The FCT Minister made the pledge on Tuesday, when he visited the project site, to assess the state of the project.

The contract for the construction of the road was awarded in 2011.

Wike noted that while the FCT Administration has paid more than 86 per cent of the contract sum of the 13-kilometre project, the project has not been delivered in 13 years.

The minister, who blamed the delay on politics said: “It is very very unfortunate that for 13 good years, this road has been abandoned.

“I want to say clearly that part of the problem we have here is politics. Everything we politicise, and that is why development cannot get quickly to our people.

“I am happy that under the current administration’s renewed hope agenda, we will do everything possible to see that the area from Kashi to Apo is completed.

“I will take this road as a personal project and make sure that we complete it,” he assured.

On the road linking Karshi with Ara in Nasarawa State, the minister said that he would not fund an interstate road except it would be delivered as a joint venture.

According to him, the interstate road is the responsibility of the Federal Government and not FCT.

“Therefore, I am not going to waste the resources of FCT to do an interstate road. The one that concerns FCT particularly, is Karshi to Apo Road, which of course, the people have been yearning for,” he noted.

He, however, expressed doubt on the capacity of the contractor to handle the project, and warned that it would no longer be business as usual.

Wike said: “I don’t care who you are; I don’t know where you came from; you must show that you will be serious and in the next few weeks, I want to see your equipment on ground before funds will be released.

“The contractor must show us that he has the capacity to deliver, and we will make him sign an understanding that if funds are provided, he will complete the project within six to seven months.”

He explained that the single lane design of the project would be maintained and when the area became developed, the FCT Administration would consider expanding the road to a dual carriageway.

“I am appealing to the affected communities to bear with us, I am assuring them that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu will make them happy at the end of the day,” the minister said. (NAN)