Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to develop the newly completed Apo-Karshi Road into a tourist attraction in Abuja.
Wike disclosed this on Wednesday while inspecting the road, saying the FCT Administration would utilise the area’s natural landscape to establish tourism facilities.
He observed that the completed road had attracted considerable public attention, with many residents and visitors visiting the area to appreciate the newly accessible landscape.
The minister said the administration had directed the relevant tourism department to develop proposals for facilities that would make the location a tourist destination.
He said, “There will be facilities that we have to put in this place. The department responsible for tourism will come up with what the government needs to put in place, but be assured that we will make it happen as a tourist centre.”
Wike recalled that the road project was initially awarded to an indigenous contractor in 2010 but remained uncompleted for more than a decade despite substantial financial commitments.
According to him, efforts by the administration to ensure the contractor completed the project yielded no positive result, prompting President Bola Tinubu to intervene and order the termination of the contract.
He explained that the project was subsequently re-awarded to construction firm SCC, which completed the work after the previous contractor failed to deliver.
The minister defended the government’s decision to proceed with the project despite criticisms over its cost, insisting that the administration prioritised infrastructure that would improve the lives of residents.
He also praised SCC for completing the road within the November deadline agreed with the government.
Wike disclosed that the Apo-Karshi Road was among 10 to 12 major infrastructure projects scheduled for inauguration across the FCT.
He added that the administration would approach the Presidency for an earlier inauguration date, possibly before the end of November, in view of the public interest generated by the project.
The minister said the positive reactions to the road’s completion reflected the impact of the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure development efforts in Abuja.
NAN