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Vows to fight corruption, defends reforms amid protests over alleged contractor debts
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has firmly declared that no amount of blackmail or sponsored protests will distract him from his mission to deliver development to the people of Abuja.
He stated this while commissioning the ₦50 billion Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant at the Lower Usuma Dam in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council. Wike addressed recent media reports and protests centred around claims of unpaid debts to local contractors.
He dismissed the allegations as baseless and emphasised that he will not be intimidated into settling debts that were never legitimately awarded.
“Let anybody who says I awarded them contracts bring the documents. Many of the so-called debts were generated by civil servants who sat in their offices awarding contracts of ₦10 million, ₦15 million, or ₦20 million without ministerial approval. Now they want to blackmail the minister into paying. Certainly, that will not happen. Nobody can intimidate me,” he asserted.
Wike pointed out that the resistance he faces is corruption fighting back against his reform agenda.
“Corruption is fighting back, but we will defeat it. Under my leadership, funds are being channelled into meaningful capital projects that directly impact the lives of residents, not frivolous recurrent expenses,” he said.
The minister highlighted improved financial stewardship, noting a sharp increase in the FCT’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from about ₦9 billion monthly before his administration to over ₦30 billion today. “If we were not prudent, how would we have been able to fund the massive infrastructure we are commissioning today? Those protesting are not genuine contractors. Look at their faces, do they look like those who built the roads we are commissioning? They were sponsored by those who benefited from past corruption,” Wike stated.
He criticised Abuja’s previously abandoned projects as a result of misallocated funds spent on excessive foreign trips and inflated procurements, such as computers. “This is not a beauty contest. I am not here to be loved. I am here to work. Carry your love and go, I want results. The only love I want is for residents to feel the impact of governance: roads, schools, hospitals, water, and security. That is development,” he stressed.
Wike further drew on his long-term experience in public service, affirming his independence from vested interests and power brokers. “From my days as a council chairman till now, I have never allowed anyone to dictate to me. Pray 24 hours, it won’t change anything. What is right will be done, and what is wrong will not pass. Abuja must change, and we will change it,” he declared.
He vowed that by the time his tenure ends, history will record his administration as one that restored discipline, blocked waste, and redirected resources into tangible development for the Federal Capital Territory.
At the commissioning ceremony, the FCT Minister unveiled the newly rehabilitated Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant, which significantly boosts the carrying capacity of the Lower Usuma Dam—Abuja’s primary water source.
“This ₦50 billion rehabilitation, awarded in 2022, was completed in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises water as an essential service,” Wike explained. He underscored that the project will substantially increase the water supply to Abuja residents.
In line with the administration’s commitment to infrastructure beyond roads, Wike announced forthcoming water projects in satellite towns sponsored by the President. “The government will commence the Bwari water project on Wednesday, while the Karu water supply project will be flagged off on Thursday, with both initiatives estimated to cost not less than ₦90 billion,” he revealed.
He described ongoing efforts to enhance water infrastructure, including awarded contracts for Phase 1, Phase 3, and Phase 4 of the Lower Usuma Dam project by the Federal Executive Council. Wike also noted agreements signed with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) during President Tinubu’s 2023 China visit, aimed at improving water supply in satellite towns.
Highlighting broader development achievements, the minister mentioned numerous schools completed, renovated, or under construction across the FCT. He directed the Secretary of Education to publish a comprehensive list of such projects and facilitate media inspections of rural schools to demonstrate the government’s commitment.
“This administration is not only developing the city centre but is also taking infrastructure to the satellite towns. Our goal is to make life easier for all residents of the FCT,” Wike affirmed.
Echoing the minister’s sentiments, the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, praised President Tinubu for his unwavering support towards infrastructure renewal and urged residents to preserve and sustain the newly commissioned water treatment facilities for future generations.