The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja being Nigeria’s capital, is expected to serve as a model for the rest of the country, and its growth and development is key to the economic and political interests which affect the entire federation.
Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu who is constitutionally the Territory’s Governor, the FCT has reasonably witnessed improvements in infrastructure, security, and other aspects of development as driven by the Minister, Nyesom Wike.
On August 21, 2023, Nyesom Wike took charge of the Federal Capital Territory Administration as Minister with residents of the territory expressing high hopes and strong believe that things will change for the better in the FCT.
The conviction was not far fetched as the Minister had before his appointment served as Governor of Rivers State for eight years where he performed reasonably well.
Some residents say the last time Abuja had a performing minister was during the tenure of Nasir El-Rufai between 2003 and 2007 suggesting that others who came after him were not able to match his records.
It was not long after Wike took office, Abuja started feeling the impact. Contractors remobilised to site and so many abandoned projects were also re-awarded and soon, the city became a huge construction site.
One major policy shift witnessed by the FCT Administration was approval by President Tinubu to exit the FCT from the Treasury Single Account which has been in operation by the Federal Government since 2016.
This gave FCT Administration the leverage to deal directly with commercial banks, obtain loans and execute projects, with the facilities to be eventually repaid using the city’s internally generated revenue.
Again, for the first time in the Territory’s administration, civil servants had the opportunity to reach the peak of their careers with the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act.
Previous administrations always argued that the development plan for the FCT had two pronged approach, which is providing infrastructure in the city centre and developing the area councils. But the area councils barely felt the impact of governance until Nyesom Wike came on board.
For the first time since 1999, the area councils seem to be getting the much needed attention. The Minister has made countless visits to Kwali, Kuje, Bwari, Gwagwalada and Abaji opening up rural roads central to the socio-economic lives of the people. One of such roads is the Apo-Karshi Road, currently under construction.
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The ongoing reforms in the FCT have also changed the status quo in the area of land administration. Unlike in the past, the current administration is deliberate about enforcing the payment of ground rents and title bills.
The administration is also going after land grabbers and speculators in the city centre and the area councils. For this reason, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has come under heavy criticism.
A case in point is the demolition of some properties in Sabon Lugbe where the residents accused him of taking over their land and giving out same to his cronies. There was also the incident at the Ruga community where the occupiers of the area in protest called the Minister a land grabber.
The loudest criticism against the administration in 2024, was the from the Family of Paul Ogbebor who alleged that the Minister had forcefully taken over their land and given same out to his friends an allegation the Minister did not hesitate to respond to.
A property entrepreneur, Festus Adebayo says the FCT administration is empowered by law to demolish illegal properties but called for stiffer penalities against officials of the Department of Development Control aiding and abetting the offenders. In addition, Adebayo proposed the implementation of Property Tax Law in Abuja.
Only recently, the President defended the actions of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike insisting that Nigerians lack compliance.
On his part, the Minister had at several fora confirmed that he has the full backing of the President to restore Abuja to what the founding fathers of the city had conceived it to be.
In 2025 however, the Minister will have to navigate more tasking challenges to achieve that mandate.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
