ABUJA—Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday warned land grabbers against encroaching on lands along the newly commissioned 7-kilometre access road bypassing the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, insisting that host communities must be allowed to enjoy the benefits of the project.
Speaking during the commissioning of the road linking Bill Clinton Drive to Tungan Madaki Settlement, Wike assured residents that the FCT Administration would protect their interests and issue them Certificates of Occupancy, C of O, to secure ownership of their ancestral lands.
“Let me warn the land grabbers who are here. This road is not for you to come and grab the land. Allow the communities to enjoy the dividends of democracy. We will give you Certificate of Occupancy to own the land where you belong because you too deserve it,” he said.
The minister commended the people of Tungan Madaki for supporting the construction of the airport’s second runway, describing them as a model for other host communities across the country.
According to him, rather than making excessive financial demands, the community requested only employment opportunities for its youths and access roads to connect them to the city.
“This community should be an example to other communities. They did not say if you don’t give us one billion naira you will not come here. They did not place unnecessary conditions. They made two basic demands: jobs for their youths and roads for their community,” Wike stated.
He explained that the requests exposed the extent of hardship being faced by residents who, despite living close to the nation’s international airport, lacked proper road access to the city and surrounding areas.
“I never believed we had this level of suffering. Look at the international airport; this is their community, yet they had no proper access to it. This community had lost hope and confidence in government, but today hope has returned,” he said.
Wike said the project was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to spread development beyond Abuja city centre to satellite communities.
“The President is changing the narrative to say that development should not be concentrated only in the city centre. Development must also get to the satellite towns, and that is what we are doing today,” he added.
The minister disclosed that the FCT Administration had directed CCECC Nigeria Limited to extend the road from Tungan Madaki to Zuba, assuring residents that the project would be completed before December this year.
He noted that the road now provides a direct link between the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, and Gwagwalada Area Council, significantly reducing travel time for residents and airport users.
“Anybody from Zuba who wants to come to the airport will no longer go round. They will now pass through this road. What more do they want? This is what they asked for and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has delivered it,” he said.
Wike further stressed that governance was about addressing the needs of the people and solving practical challenges confronting communities.
“We came into government to solve problems. We came into government to solve challenges. This project is a clear demonstration of what government can achieve when it listens to the people,” he said.
The minister also commended the contractor, CCECC Nigeria Limited, for delivering the project within the stipulated timeline despite initial concerns about the tight schedule.
According to him, the completion of the road marks another milestone in the FCT Administration’s efforts to open up rural communities, stimulate economic activities and improve access to critical infrastructure across the territory.
