Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has stated that without adequate roads, the issues of food security and insecurity cannot be directly addressed.
At the groundbreaking ceremony for the 5-kilometer Naharati-River Ukya-Unguwan Hausawa Road in the Abaji Area Council of the territory on Tuesday, Wike made this statement.
He said the operation was conducted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda instruction to build at least five kilometers of roads in each of the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
Wike who had earlier flagged off the construction of roads in Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kuje, and Kwali Area Councils, said the construction of rural roads was to ensure that development is not concentrated only in the city centre but also spread to the area councils.
He added that the construction of rural roads will also help to address the challenges of insecurity in the FCT, reduce rural-urban migration as well as promote food security in the nation’s capital.
According to the minister: “One of the ways to fight insecurity is to provide good roads so that security agencies will have access to go and deal with those people who said they are criminals. If you don’t have good roads, can you go to the farms? So, provision of good roads will help to improve our food security.
“When we fight the bandits, our fathers, our mothers will be able to go to the farm. When good road is provided, our farmers will go to the farm and bring what they have produced and that is the directive Mr. President has given to us that development should not only be concentrated in the city.”
The minister who also noted that the area council chairmen were directed to nominate one key road for construction in each of the area councils, assured that all the road projects that have been started would be completed this year.
He said that request by the FCT traditional rulers for the construction of more rural roads in the FCT area councils will be addressed in the FCT 2024 statutory budget.
He, however, appealed to FCT residents and other Nigerians to exercise patience, assuring that the current economic hardship will soon turn around for the better, with steps being taken by the government.
