Wike: 70% of Completed FCT Projects Were Abandoned Contracts Awarded 16 Years Ago

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that about 70 per cent of the projects completed by the FCT Administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were inherited contracts awarded between 15 and 16 years ago but left abandoned.

Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said the administration prioritised the completion of long-abandoned projects in line with President Tinubu’s directive that viable government projects should not be left unfinished.

According to the minister, reviving the abandoned projects was necessary to prevent the waste of public resources and ensure residents benefited from critical infrastructure.

"The President said we can't abandon old projects. While we cannot abandon old projects, we must also carry out new ones," Wike said.

He explained that a significant proportion of the projects executed by the FCT Administration over the past three years were inherited from previous administrations.

"I can tell you that about 60 per cent of the projects we have executed in the last three years were projects awarded 15 to 16 years ago but abandoned. If we had allowed that, people would still be asking questions about those abandoned projects. So, we first made sure they were completed, and we have achieved that with not less than 70 per cent of them," he stated.

Wike noted that while the administration focused on completing inherited projects, it also initiated new road and infrastructure projects across Abuja and the satellite towns to meet the growing needs of residents.

He attributed the accelerated pace of development in the Federal Capital Territory to President Tinubu’s support, particularly the decision to remove the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), a move he said improved access to funds for infrastructure development.

The minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to expanding road networks, opening up new districts, and delivering infrastructure projects that would improve transportation and enhance the quality of life for residents of the Federal Capital Territory.