Do not use our projects to collect revenue, Wike warns AMAC

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday warned the chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) against naming roads constructed by the Federal Government without first obtaining the approval.

Wike gave the warning during the commissioning of the full-scope development of Akinwumi Ajibola Street, comprising Important Local Streets (ILS) 16, 18 and 19, in Gaduwa District of AMAC.

He acknowledged that local government councils have the statutory responsibility for street naming but stressed that roads funded and constructed by the Federal Government remain under federal authority.

“Let me also warn the chairman of AMAC: do not wait for us to construct roads and then put your name on them. There are people here who have no street named after them. You wake up in the morning to see streets named after individuals, yet it is the Federal Government that constructed them.”

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“Do not use our projects to collect revenue. Use your own money to construct roads and then name those streets after whomever you wish. I do not want a situation where we come here tomorrow and see someone’s name on a street we built. Chairman AMAC, I hope you have heard us,” Wike said.

The minister, who recalled serving as a local government chairman, said although councils are responsible for naming streets, they must seek federal approval before assigning names to roads built with federal funds.

“I am aware of the argument that naming streets is the sole responsibility of local government councils. I was once a council chairman myself, so I understand that. However, if it is the Federal Government that constructed the roads within the city, permission must be obtained from the Federal Government before you name those streets,” he said.

Wike said the inauguration was the 16th project commissioned under a 31-day programme marking the third anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, President Tinubu had directed that infrastructure development should extend beyond the city centre to all districts and satellite towns of the FCT.

He said districts including Kwali, Jahi-Gwarinpa, Katampe and Guzape had benefited from the administration’s infrastructure drive, citing the recent inauguration of the 13.3-kilometre Gomani-Bafa-Yangoje Road in Kwali Area Council.

Earlier, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the inauguration commended Wike for ending what he described as the era of abandoned road projects in Abuja.

Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the inauguration, Tinubu said the FCT minister had transformed infrastructure delivery by ensuring projects were completed rather than abandoned.

The President said Wike acted decisively after reviewing files on the neglected Gaduwa project by returning contractors to site, setting timelines and ensuring adequate funding.

He praised Wike’s approach to project execution, saying it had changed the culture of service delivery in the FCT.

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