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Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Monday,, assured Abuja residents that the long-awaited bus terminals in the nation’s capital would soon commence operations, blaming the delay on procurement procedures and the process of selecting private operators to manage the facilities.
Wike, who spoke during an inspection of projects lined up for commissioning as part of activities marking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third year in office, said all approvals had been secured and the concessionaire was putting finishing touches to arrangements for take-off.
The minister’s explanation comes amid growing concerns over the fate of some of the terminals, which were commissioned nearly a year ago but have remained idle.
According to him, government facilities cannot be handed over to private operators without following laid-down procedures.
“For you to give a private individual the responsibility to run government facilities, it has to pass through the procurement process. That process has been approved, and the private operator is putting himself together to make sure that the bus terminal takes effect,” he said.
He dismissed fears that the facilities could become abandoned projects, insisting that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would not allow huge investments to waste away.
“We are proud of what we are doing, and we owe no apologies. Government process is not easy. Bureaucracy is involved. Why do you think the government will expend money and then not put such a place to use?” Wike asked.
The minister revealed that the concessionaire had informed the administration that efforts were ongoing to acquire the buses and taxis that would drive operations at the terminals.
Meanwhile, Wike announced that President Tinubu would this week begin the commissioning of a fresh batch of completed projects across the FCT.
He said the commissioning exercise would commence on Tuesday with the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), followed by the N5 Road in Life Camp on Wednesday and the Airport-to-Kuje Road on Thursday.
“You can see we are very set; you can see the smiles on our faces. Tomorrow, the President will start the commissioning of the OSEX Road. The N5 Life Camp Road will be commissioned on Wednesday, while the Airport-to-Kuje Road comes up on Thursday. These projects are 100 per cent complete and ready,” he said.
Wike also disclosed that President Tinubu would commission the newly completed residences for Justices of the Court of Appeal on June 12.
He praised construction giants CGC Nigeria Limited, Arab Contractors and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc for delivering the projects on schedule.
The minister further hinted that the President would visit one of the Area Councils during the commissioning exercise, but declined to reveal the location for security reasons.
Wike attributed the rapid transformation of Abuja’s infrastructure to Tinubu’s support and leadership, saying the President had demonstrated commitment by ensuring ongoing projects were completed irrespective of who initiated them.
“The credit must go to Mr President, who has given the directive and the support for us to go this far. Leadership is about having the will to continue projects that may not have been initiated by you and ensuring they are completed,” he said.
He added that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) would issue traffic advisories ahead of the commissioning ceremonies to minimise disruptions and guide motorists across the city.