Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says new bus terminals will be constructed in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils to complement the hubs already under way in Mabushi, Kugbo, and the Central Business District.
Speaking on Saturday after inspecting renovation work at the Abuja International Conference Centre and a 12-kilometre road project in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, the minister laid out the plan:
“Obviously, last time we went to Mabushi and Kugbo bus terminals. Of course, we will have another one in the Central Area.”
“We have agreed that we are going to establish one in Gwagwalada and one in Bwari, so that you have people who will take you from Bwari down to the city. Either you are going to the Mabushi area or to the Kugbo bus terminal, or to the Central Business Area bus terminal. The same thing applies to Gwagwalada.
“By the time we have done that, you can imagine that people will be safe, people will be secure. You can now go to any bus terminal, board a bus or a taxi, and go to where you are going without having this problem of ‘one chance’.”
“Except you on your own decide to go on the road to stay and take taxis. In that case, government has done what it is supposed to do, so it is no longer our problem.”
Wike stressed that the administration is widening development beyond the city centre:
“I have said severally that we are not concentrating in the city, we are also paying attention to the satellite towns. The total road length is not less than 12 kilometers. That has linked up the entire Ushafa.
“Yesterday, we were at Gwagwalada and Kwali. That tells you that the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also particularly concerned about paying attention to the satellite towns.”
“You know that we are also working on Kuje to Gwagwalada dualization.”
Highlighting ongoing upgrades at the International Conference Centre, he added:
“You can also see we are just coming from the International Conference Center, which is world-class. You can remember the directive of Mr President that we should give Nigerians the best as we can, and that is what we have done.
“All the projects will not be commissioned by Mr President. I mean, others will also do, like schools and the rest of them. But basically, the major ones that touch the satellite towns, and the major ones that touch the city, we think that Mr President will do.”
“I pleaded with Mr President, one or two of the roads in satellite towns, Mr President should be able to go, so that the people will see Mr President and appreciate him for the job that he has done.”
Wike argued that bringing infrastructure closer to residents will curb daily migrations into the capital:
“From here to the city is not up to 35 minutes, and that is the essence of decongesting the city, making people to stay within their satellite towns.”
“Because if you provide the amenities, nobody will be interested in moving to the city. Rural-urban migration is actually because of lack of amenities and infrastructure in the rural areas.”
