President Bola Tinubu has approved May 27 to June 6 as Federal Capital Territory Week for the inauguration of various projects executed under his administration.

The Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, stated this while inspecting some of the projects in preparation for the inauguration to celebrate Tinubu’s one year in office.

“By the approval of Mr President, we believe that from May 27, we shall begin the inauguration of various projects and will end on June 6.

“Particularly on May 27, President Tinubu will inaugurate commercial operations of the Abuja Light Rail also known as Abuja Metro Line, and we will carry out the final inspection of the project on May 20.

“From what we have seen, I think we are good to go,” he said.

Wike also expressed confidence that the Vice-President’s residence, located along Aso Drive, would be completed and may be inaugurated on June 6.

He explained that the 9-day inauguration activities would demonstrate to the world the Tinubu-led administration’s determination to renew the hope of Nigerians.

He added: “We have a lot of projects being executed that will be inaugurated. So many projects that I cannot begin to list them.

“We are happy; the contractors are meeting up, and all the promises made they have fulfilled.

“We have also fulfilled our own part, by making sure that we make the needed cash available and none of the contractors is complaining in terms of cash.”

The minister added that other projects like the construction of bus terminals and the FCT Court of Appeal Division and other projects would be inaugurated within the period.

On the non-functionality of some of the streetlights in parts of the city, Wike explained that some of the streetlights were being worked on, while others were being tested.

He assured the residents that the streetlights would come on once the contractors finished working on them.

“As I speak to you, most of the streetlights are being worked on and with the project we are executing, you don’t expect the light to be on.

“The contractors are test-running them, so most of the ones that are not working are those that are being worked on.

“We believe that before the inauguration you will see that most of the streetlights will be on,” the minister said.

When asked whether he was being distracted by the development in Rivers, Wike simply said: “I am not distracted.  If I am distracted you won’t see this performance.

“I focus on my work. So, I am not interested. I am the Minister of FCT, and work is going on, why will I be distracted? I don’t even think about it at all.”

(NAN)

President Muhammadu Buhari will, today, travel to Niamey, the Republic of Niger, to attend the African Union Summit on Industrialisation and Economic Diversification, as well as the Extraordinary Session on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The President, during the trip, will also attend launch of the French version of the book, entitled, ‘Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria’, as well as inaugurate the ‘Muhammadu Buhari Boulevard’, named after him by the government of the Republic of Niger.

Naming of the boulevard and launch of the book, written by John Paden, a professor of International Studies, at George Mason University, Northern Virginia, United States, precedes the AU Summit on Friday, November 25, 2022.

Buhari is expected to deliver his national statement at the summit, which has the theme, ‘Industrialising Africa: Renewed Commitment towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialisation and Economic Diversification.’

The high-level summit, being convened as part of the Africa Industrialisation Week commemorative activities, is expected to adopt a declaration, highlighting the importance of industrialisation and economic transformation in the continent and how to make progress in that regard.

The 20th of every November is commemorated as Africa Industrialisation Day, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African Unity in July 1989, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The President wil return to the country tomorrow, Friday, November 25.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed that it will deliver phase one of the Kano-Katsina road reconstruction project before the end of this year.

The State Minister of Works and Housing, Umar El-Yakub, disclosed this on Saturday when he inspected the progress of the project in Kano.

He said the contract was awarded in 2013, adding that the project was part of the success stories of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

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El-Yakub said that the road was among several other roads included in Sukuk, an initiative of the government to check critical roads and pay contractors their money in time.

“Buhari’s administration is working hard to complete all these road projects in 2023,” he said.

El-Yakub urged the contractors to construct the Yakasai -Badume bridge immediately after the rainy season.

(NAN)