Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to accelerating key infrastructure projects across Abuja, insisting that the decision to terminate the long-running Apo–Karshi road contract was necessary to end years of delays and deliver relief to residents.
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Wike spoke during an inspection tour of ongoing projects, including the newly awarded 8km Bazango dual carriageway in Kubwa, a project he noted was approved under emergency procurement due to its urgency.
The minister recalled that the Apo–Karshi project, first awarded in 2010, had suffered multiple contract variations and repeated failures by the previous contractor to deliver, despite fresh commitments made in 2023.
The project was initially awarded to Mangrovetech, a company founded by Engr. Azibaola Robert, a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The company later rebranded as Kakatar CE Limited in 2013, a change that had little or no impact on the completion of the 13-kilometre road project.
“The contractor agreed to go back to site and gave us a promise that within six months that project would be delivered. Unfortunately, it was a very big disappointment, and we had no choice but to terminate it,” Wike told journalists.
The job has now been handed to another construction giant, which Wike described as competent and reliable.
He said the administration opted for emergency procurement to avoid wasting time on a fresh bidding cycle that could drag on for up to six months and expose the area to further hardship, especially with the rainy season approaching.
According to him, the road is too important to the people of Apo, Karshi and Wassa to be allowed to stagnate any longer. “We felt we had to relieve the hardship of the people there. It was a major decision we took in the interest of the people of Abuja,” he said, adding that the new contractor will start afresh, irrespective of the few kilometres earlier done by the former contractor.
The minister declined to comment on whether the FCTA would seek refunds from the terminated contractor. “For now, the whole thing is prioritized to making sure the job is completed. That is our major task,” he said.
Wike also disclosed that SCC would rebuild the entire 13–14km stretch of the Apo–Karshi road, including sections previously done by the former contractor. “Everything they have done we are going to remove because we believe it is not of standard, and the people there deserve the best,” he said.
Asked how convinced he was by SCC’s promise to complete the Apo–Karshi road in 12 months—after the previous contractor spent 14 years—Wike said the FCTA was done with “emotional” decisions. “We allowed the former contractor to continue because politics would come in to say, ‘he terminated so-so job’. But we cannot continue to attach emotions at the risk of making people suffer. SCC has what it takes. How many times did you see equipment on site before? But look at today,” he said.
Wike, who also inspected work in Bwari and Kubwa, said his team discovered fresh problem spots requiring urgent intervention.
At the Kubwa Road project site, he noted that drainage works were progressing and that asphalt works would follow immediately once the lanes were cleared.
He said the flurry of interventions reflects the administration’s commitment to both urban and rural communities. “It has never happened since Abuja was created that we have such attention to the rural communities. And this is what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about,” he stated.
He added that the renewed effort demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that every part of the FCT receives the dividends of democracy.
On concerns over other bad roads in the territory, Wike said no government can fix every part of the FCT within a single administration. “We will do the best we can. Government is a continuum. We have identified the ones we can solve now and will leave the rest for others,” he said.
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