Wike targets rural transformation with new bus terminals in Bwari and Gwagwalada
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory , Barr Nyesom Wike, has unveiled plans to develop new transportation hubs in the Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils, aiming to enhance mobility and security within the territory.
This announcement was made during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja over the weekend.
The projects inspected included the renovation of the International Conference Centre and the upgrading of key roads in Bwari Area Council. Minister Wike explained that the new bus terminals would complement existing facilities, providing residents with safe and convenient travel options to various parts of the city.
According to the Minister, a key objective of the terminals is to tackle the issue of armed robbery, known as “one chance,” by offering designated pickup and drop-off points. “We’re establishing bus terminals in Gwagwalada and Bwari to ensure safe travel and eliminate security concerns,” Wike stated.
“We have agreed that we’re going to establish one in Gwagwalada and one in Bwari, so that you have people who will take you from Bwari down to the city. Either you’re going to the Mabushi area or to the Kugbo bus terminal, or to the central business area bus terminal. The same thing applies to Gwagwalada.
“By the time we have done that, you can imagine that people will be safe, people will be secured. You can now go to any bus terminal, board a bus or a taxi, and go to where you’re going to without having this problem of one chance. Except you on your own to decide to go on the road, to stay. In that case, government has done what they are supposed to do, so it’s no longer our problem”
Wike reaffirmed president Bola Tinubu’s commitment to bridging infrastructure gaps in the FCT, emphasizing the Renewed Hope Agenda’s focus on developing satellite towns. He cited ongoing projects, such as the 12-kilometer Ushafa road and the Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualization, as evidence of this commitment.
Wike highlighted the long-term benefits of these infrastructure developments, including reduced travel times, decongesting the city, and curbing rural-to-urban migration. “By providing basic amenities in satellite towns, we aim to make them attractive for residents, reducing the need to live in the city,” he explained.
“I mean, to remind people, all of us know how this place was, and see how it looks today. By the time all the street lights have been completed, it will be a different thing, which is that why people will no longer go out to see how they will live in the city”.
“From here to the city, it’s not up to 35 minutes, and that’s the essence of decongesting the city, making people to stay within their satellite town. Because if you provide the amenities, nobody will be interested in moving to the cities. Urban and rural migration is actually because of lack of amenities and infrastructure in the satellite towns”.
TheFormer Governor stressed that the upgrade of the International Conference Centre aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of providing world-class facilities for Nigerians.
