Abuja rail project: ‘We’ll meet May 29 target’ – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said that the FCT Administration will work round the clock to deliver the Abuja Rail Mass Transit, ARMT System project on May 29.

Wike stated this after an inspection tour of the project in Abuja on Thursday.

He said: “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.”

DAILY POST recalls that FCTA announced in August 2023 the award of a N5 billion contract for the rehabilitation of the ARMT system.

The contract was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC), to be delivered within eight months.

On assumption of office, Wike identified the ARMT as one of the projects that would be commissioned on May 29 to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office.

The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the delivery of the project following the persistent vandalisation and stealing of critical facilities and equipment of the rail system.

“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.

“When we first visited the metro station, I discovered that there were many security lapses. I remember when I first came after our inauguration, I did say that we would have to work on the issue of security by putting a fence around the Metro Station to fend off criminals.

“Unfortunately, that has not been done and to my surprise, I discovered that the contract was not even awarded to CCECC. It is a different contractor awarded by the FCT. This is my first time hearing this, and 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,” he said.