President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the leadership of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, describing his performance as a shining example of visionary governance that history will remember for generations to come.
Represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the President gave this commendation on Saturday while commissioning newly constructed access roads in Giri District, one of the latest projects under the FCT Administration’s drive to open up underserved communities.
Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, Speaker Abbas said the new roads are far more than concrete and asphalt — they are symbols of inclusion and a clear message that no community is too remote or insignificant to benefit from the dividends of democracy.
“No community is too small, no area too distant, no citizen too insignificant to benefit from the dividends of democracy,” the President declared in his speech.
He hailed Wike for translating the Renewed Hope Agenda into visible action across both the city’s elite districts and its neglected outskirts.
“Today, I stand before you not only to commission a road but to express my deep and heartfelt appreciation to the FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike — a man whose quiet diligence and visionary leadership have continued to transform the landscape of the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
President Tinubu described the Giri roads as “bridges of inclusion, signals of recognition, and instruments of national unity,” adding that true development must extend beyond city centres to rural communities long left behind.
He listed areas that have benefited from this approach — from Maitama, Jahi, Katampe, Mabushi, and Utako to Gwagwalada, Kwali, Bwari, Abaji, Kabusa, Ketti and now Giri — saying Wike has made the Renewed Hope Agenda real and meaningful for everyday Nigerians.
“Your actions have brought quality and excellence to communities long laid in the shadows,” Tinubu noted.
He commended the engineers, contractors, workers, and community leaders for building not just physical roads but also trust between government and the people. To the residents of Giri, he said the new roads should open doors to greater opportunities.
“May these roads lead you to greater opportunities. May they carry your children to school, farmers to markets, families to healthcare, and dreams to reality,” the President urged.
Reiterating his commitment to replicating similar projects nationwide, Tinubu pledged to ensure that more communities reap the benefits of inclusive governance.
“As your President, I am proud of what we celebrate here today and even more committed to seeing more of such milestones replicated across the nation,” he said.
He rounded off with a rousing endorsement of Wike’s leadership, urging him to stay the course:
“Honourable Minister, continue to shine your light. Nigeria sees it, and history will record it.”
The President then formally commissioned the Giri roads “to the glory of God and for the service of humanity.”
The Giri project is one of many under the FCT’s infrastructure expansion programme designed to bridge development gaps, ease mobility, and bring life-changing opportunities closer to communities that had once been on the fringes.
Speaking at the ceremony, FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike described the new access roads as a catalyst for development that would unlock new investments and institutions.
“The EFCC will be the first beneficiary. They will start the academy immediately because now they have access roads to move in equipment and develop. When this comes, you’ll see other people move in and develop their own areas too,” Wike said.
He thanked the National Assembly for its support in approving the supplementary budget that made the project possible. “I thank the House Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives through their Chairmen and the Area Councils for their support. This particular road had to go through supplementary budgets. We knew the importance if we didn’t do it now, it would be a problem,” he added.
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, represented by the Commission’s Secretary, Mal. Muhammed Hammajoda, expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu and Wike for delivering what he called a long-awaited lifeline for the EFCC Academy.
“Upon my assumption of office, I prioritized the development of these sites. However, the major challenge was access. We were at a loss until the Honourable Minister of FCT, the man called Mr. Project, came to our rescue. He not only promised to construct the road he delivered it in record time,” he said.
He added that the roads would enable the EFCC Academy to become “a centre of excellence in financial crimes enforcement, training and research,” complete with a cybercrime research centre. “This road will not only provide vital access to the EFCC Academy, it will contribute to training officers to sustain the fight against corruption and boost economic and social activities in this corridor,” he stated.
Also speaking, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, noted that the project reflects President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in action. “This project is yet another shining example of his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, connectivity, and inclusive growth,” she said, while commending Wike’s leadership for pushing transformative projects across the territory.
Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, described the Giri access roads as a major corridor now open for institutional, economic, and social growth. He said the district, bounded by major expressways and close to the Abuja International Airport, is designed to house key institutions like the University of Abuja, the EFCC Academy, and the city’s main sewage treatment plant.
“The completion of the project has indeed opened up the Giri District for development. It gives access to several developments in the district and has also improved security and socio-economic life for residents,” Dauda said.
He explained that the project was awarded to Messrs Levant Construction Limited on November 4, 2024, flagged off by Wike on December 5, and included dual-lane paved carriageways, box and pipe culverts, concrete drains, and solar-powered street lighting. “The constructed roads connect the district to the Airport Expressway at the interchange with Bill Clinton Drive, giving access to the district,” he said, thanking President Tinubu and Minister Wike for their unwavering support.
