The two bus terminals recently commissioned by President Bola Tinubu have remained locked for more than three months after their inauguration, leaving commuters in Abuja to grapple with transportation challenges.
The multi-million naira projects were commissioned in June as part of activities to mark Tinubu’s second term in office.
The facilities are located in Kugbo, along the Abuja-Nyanya-Mararaba road, and in Mabushi, along the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua way.
A third terminal in the Central Business Area is still under construction.
The projects were conceived by the Nyesom Wike-led FCT administration to address Abuja’s chaotic transport system.
In May 2024, Wike awarded the contracts, saying the initiative would enhance security, reduce “one chance” incidents, and provide jobs for residents.
The terminals, designed to process more than 10,000 passengers daily and host 120 buses and taxis, also include cinemas, food courts, and shopping spaces.
Despite the fanfare, Daily Trust reports that the completed terminals remain shut.
Some Nigerians stated that the closure shows nothing has changed since the commissioning.
“What was all the noise about then? Nothing has changed since the so-called commissioning. No buses, nothing. The two facilities have remained closed since then,” Joseph Iwalekun, a resident, said.
Ifeoma Job, a civil servant, described the situation as disappointing.
“How can you commission something and still keep it under lock for more than three months? It is unfortunate because commuters’ suffering continues,” she queried.
Chinedu Elechi, mandate secretary for the FCT transport secretariat, said operations would begin once procurement processes under a public-private partnership are concluded.
“The difference between government and private is bureaucracy. So once the procurement process is done on hiring the operator, we’re good to go,” he said.
Elechi appealed for patience, adding that arrangements were ongoing to ensure the terminals are properly utilised.