The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to name two roads in Guzape Districts after literary icons, Chinua Achebe and J. P. Clark.

The late Achebe was a novelist, poet, and central figure of modern African literature, while J. P. Clark was a poet and playwright.

Mr Wike made the request in Abuja on Saturday during the inauguration of Guzape Lot II Engineering Infrastructure by Mr Tinubu to celebrate his one year in office.

“I want to appeal to you, just like what you did last time when you approved the naming of Arterial N-20 Road after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. There are many Nigerians who have also, in one way or another, made their own contributions, particularly in literary works. Many of them have made Nigeria proud. People such as Chinua Achebe and J.P. Clerk.

“Your Excellency, I want to appeal to you to name this road after Chinua Achebe and another road within the same district after J. P. Clerk,” he said.

The minister described Guzape as one of the biggest districts in the FCT and fast-developing.

He explained that the contract was awarded in 2003 at N14 billion during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and divided into two lots.

He said that Lot I was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe while Lot II was awarded to Gilmor Engineering, adding that the contract was revised to over N18 billion in the third week of May 2023.

Mr Wike said that Dantata and Sawoe had left the site for a long time until the Tinubu administration came on board and mobilised them back to site, noting that work at the site was currently ongoing.  

For the completed Lot II, the minister said he inspected the execution of the project over 15 times to ensure timely delivery of the project.

He disclosed that the project was delivered despite litigation by some residents to stop the contractor from blasting rocks to make way for road construction in the district.

He also said that the ongoing work at Guzape Diplomatic Zone would soon be completed.

In her contribution, the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahoud, commended Mr Tinubu for supporting the provision of infrastructure to Guzape and other districts of the FCT.

The infrastructure, according to Ms Mahmoud, would enhance the quality of life of Abuja residents and benefit generations to come.

“The sustainable growth and development of any city relied heavily on the infrastructure,” she said.

Earlier, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Shehu Ahmad, said that the entire Guzape District covered an area of about 1,070 hectares.

Mr Ahmad explained that Lot I, being executed by Dantata and Sawoe, covered an area of 450 hectares, while Lot II, being successfully executed by Gilmor Engineering, covered 620 hectares.

He explained that out of the 1,074 hectares total area, about 129 hectares have been encumbered by village settlement, of which about 66 fell within the area executed by Gilmor Engineering.

He said that the scope of work involved the provision of electrical power supply, including a 33/11 mini-injection substation to power the district, one each for Lot I and Lot II.

He added that other engineering infrastructure included a mini sewage treatment plant, transformers, and street lighting poles that were erected and powered.

He said, “The district is meant to provide services to about 1,017 plots of various usage and sizes—residential, commercial, as well as parks and recreation. The lot II we are inaugurating today covers 561 plots out of the 1,017 plots.  The Lot II has 31.3-kilometre network of roads out of the 73-kilometre network in the entire district, while the one being executed by Dantata and Sawoe is about 30 kilometres. The remaining ones were encumbered by village obstruction areas and attention is currently being given by Wike to hasten the compensation and resettlement of the village obstruction areas.’’

(NAN)