On Saturday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, expressed confidence that some of the ongoing road projects in the FCT would be delivered within eight months.

Mr Wike gave the assurance after inspecting some of the projects in Abuja to see the level of progress.

Some of the projects visited are the completion of Roads B6, B12, and Circle Road in the Central Area and the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, being handled by Julius Berger.

The minister also inspected the construction of the southern parkway from Christian Centre (S8/9) to Ring Road 1, being handled by Setraco, and the expansion of the outer southern expressway, being handled by CGC.

The project spanned from Villa Roundabout to OSEX/Ring Road 1 Junction, including four interchanges.

Mr Wike equally inspected the full-scope development of Arterial Road N20, from Northern Parkway to ONEX, with spurs being handled by Gilmor Engineering.

After the inspection, the minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, stressing that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu was not propaganda but a reality.

“So, sometimes it is good for you (journalists) to join us for inspection and see what we are telling the public, whether it is correct or just mere propaganda.

“The renewed hope agenda is not propaganda. It is the reality that Nigerians must see. So, I am very happy with what I have seen today.

“If you remember that on Monday, precisely, we were one month in office,

“What we did in the city is to invite all the contractors so that we will be able to identify quick deliverables in the next eight months and inaugurate the projects,” he said.

Mr Wike recalled that no contractor was on-site at the time he assumed office as the FCT Minister, stressing that all the contractors had left the sites due to non-payment.

Expressing a deep belief in Mr Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, the minister said he had been reassuring Nigerians that there would be change, “and that change is what you are seeing today.

“Virtually most major companies have gone back to the site—Julius Beggar is on site; Setraco is on site; CGC is on site; and Gilmor is on site—just the ones we inspected today.

“Other companies are also on site; even though we could not visit them today.

“I am happy with B6 and B12, being handled by Julius Berger; you can see the quality of the job, and here we are (Arterial Road), being handled by Gilmor; you can see the quality of the job.

“We moved to CGC; you can see the quality of the job, and we have been to Setraco.

“Overall, we want to say that we are happy with what they are doing, and we have planned out how they will be paid so that nobody will leave the sites,” the minister added.

He expressed optimism that, by the grace of God, in the next eight months, “all of us will begin to benefit from the construction of these very strategic roads.

(NAN)