FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has pledged to complete the Karshi to Apo Road construction project in the next six to seven months.

Mr Wike pledged on Tuesday, when he visited the project site, to assess the state of the project, which was awarded 13 years ago, precisely in 2011.

“I am happy that under the current administration’s renewed hope agenda, we will do everything possible to see that the area from Kashi to Apo is completed.

“I will take this road as a personal project and make sure that we complete it,” he assured.

He said the FCT Administration had paid more than 86 per cent of the contract sum of the 13-kilometre project, lamenting that 13 years later, the project was not delivered.

The minister, who blamed the delay on politics, said, “It is very very unfortunate that for 13 good years, this road has been abandoned.

“I want to say clearly that part of the problem we have here is politics. Everything we politicise, and that is why development cannot get quickly to our people.”

On the road linking Karshi with Ara in Nasarawa State, the minister said he would not fund an interstate road unless it would be delivered as a joint venture.

According to him, the interstate road is the federal government’s responsibility and not FCT.

“Therefore, I am not going to waste the resources of FCT to do an interstate road. The one that concerns FCT particularly is Karshi to Apo Road, which, of course, the people have been yearning for,” he noted.

He, however, expressed doubt on the capacity of the contractor to handle the project and warned that it would no longer be business as usual.

Mr Wike said, “I don’t care who you are; I don’t know where you came from; you must show that you will be serious, and in the next few weeks, I want to see your equipment on ground before funds will be released.”

He explained that the single-lane design of the project would be maintained, and when the area becomes developed, the FCT Administration would consider expanding the road to a dual carriageway.

“I am appealing to the affected communities to bear with us; I am assuring them that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu will make them happy at the end of the day,” the minister said.

(NAN)