ABUJA@50: MINISTER HAILS FCDA ACTING EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S ROLE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
…Stresses Need for Rural Development
By: Wisdom Acka
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has commended the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for providing effective leadership that has facilitated acceleration of infrastructural development in the nation’s capital.
Wike made the commendations when the management staff of the FCDA paid him a courtesy call in his office on Wednesday, 4th February, 2026.
He stressed that the visible transformation in the FCT would not have been possible without the competent, institutional leadership from the Executive Secretary, and support from officials within the system.
His words: “Today, everybody is saying there is massive infrastructural development. If that was not made possible, we would still be hanging around and saying nothing is going on. So we must appreciate those who laid the foundation for us to get to where we are today.”
The Minister disclosed that a committee would soon be inaugurated to plan activities to mark Abuja at 50, which would coincide with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third year in office, describing the celebration as “very important” in showcasing the capital’s development journey.
Wike emphasized: “When you have the right leadership, you get the results you want. Since your appointment as Acting Executive Secretary, I can see that you have aligned yourself with the aims and vision of this administration. You are up and doing.”
The Minister was blunt in his remarks on performance, stressing that only results, not sentiments, sustain public office.
“If you are not up and doing, you will not be there. There is no two ways about it. There is no blackmail about it. I will do it and heaven will not fall,” he stated, adding that the achievements recorded so far justified the confidence reposed in the FCDA leadership.
He also commended the management and staff of the authority for their cooperation, noting that the successes achieved would not have been possible without teamwork.
Wike further explained that public office comes with defined privileges and rights, urging officials to understand the distinction and remain focused on service delivery.
Pointing out the significance of having an FCT indigene to such a strategic office, the Minister expressed concern over the level of neglect in some satellite communities, particularly during a visit to Tudun Madaki, where he berated the absence of basic infrastructure was “shocking.”
Speaking passionately, he said: “I pitied the communities. But by the grace of God, when we complete the road to Zuba, you will see how the entire area will open up.”
This is as he lamented the over concentration on city projects at the expense of rural communities, noting that many residents in the hinterland lacked access roads and basic services, leaving them disconnected from the benefits of governance.
“That is what we should be talking about -how to make people in the communities feel the impact of government. For many of them, whether government exists or not, they do not even know, he decried.
He, therefore, assured that with the support of President Tinubu, the FCT Administration would continue to open up underserved communities through sustained infrastructure development.
Earlier, the FCDA’s Acting Executive Secretary, presented a comprehensive review of the territory’s development journey, highlighting achievements over the past five decades and the unprecedented progress under the current administration.
In a presentation to the FCT Minister who doubles as Chairman of the FCDA Board, Dauda traced the origin of the FCT to the 1976 decree that created the Territory and the FCDA.
He noted that since then, Abuja’s phased development has gradually transformed the city, noting that earlier plans were constrained by limited funding, rapid population growth, and infrastructural deficits, especially in the satellite communities.
Dauda emphasised the milestones of the Abuja Master Plan, commissioned in 1977 and completed in 1979, and the subsequent FCT Regional Development Plan, which guided infrastructural provision across roads, districts, water supply, power, sewerage, and telecommunication networks.
According to him, while Phase I of the Federal Capital City (FCC) has achieved 85 per cent of its planned development, Phases II and III reached only 30 and 10 per cent, whereas, Phase IV is yet to be implemented.
He also explained how rapid urban expansion necessitated the creation of Phase V, expanding the city from an initial 562 square kilometres and 3.1 million projected population to 801 square kilometres and 5.5 million projected residents, prompting the current review of the Abuja Master Plan in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Highlighting achievements under the current administration since August 2023, Dauda said that the leadership of the Minister has driven an unprecedented infrastructural push, with multiple projects completed and commissioned, marking the most productive period in the FCDA’s 50-year history.
“Mr. President commissioned about nine projects during the first-year anniversary of Mr. President in 2024, 17 projects in 2025, and with the 2026 anniversary, we are likely to hit 50 projects to be commissioned since assumption of duty,” he said.
Dauda praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT Minister for their visionary leadership, reiterating commitment of the staff to building Abuja into a first-class capital city on par with the best in the world.
