FCT Minister Nyesom Wike affirms commitment to achieving May 29 deadline for Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared the determination of the FCT Administration to meet the May 29 deadline for the completion of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit (ARMT) System project. Wike expressed this commitment following an inspection tour of the project in Abuja on Thursday.

In his statement, Wike expressed optimism, saying, “I am not a pessimist, and I believe that if we put all our energy into it, we may achieve it. I have also disbursed the funds for access roads, so we have no excuse.”

It’s noteworthy that in August 2023, FCTA announced the award of a N5 billion contract for the rehabilitation of the ARMT system to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC), with a stipulated delivery period of eight months.

Identifying the ARMT as a key project for commissioning on May 29 to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office, Minister Wike expressed dissatisfaction with the project’s progress, citing issues of vandalization and theft of critical facilities and equipment.

Expressing concern about security lapses, Wike mentioned, “This is one project that I am so compassionate about, and you know that Mr. President has given me a directive that must not be taken for granted. We are going to take it up immediately to see that the fence is put in place because you can’t talk of operation when you have not tackled the issue of security.”