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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, commissioned the newly rehabilitated and expanded 15-kilometre road network from Karu Interchange to Customs Clinic Junction and adjoining roads in Karu, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), describing the project as a key step in modernising the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and improving daily life for residents.
Speaking at the commissioning, which featured solar-powered street lighting along the entire corridor, Tinubu who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shetima, said the intervention addresses years of congestion on the Karu corridor, a critical gateway between the FCT and neighbouring states.
“For years, the Karu corridor suffered from severe traffic congestion that drained the productivity and energy of residents. By expanding and rehabilitating these roads, we are not just laying asphalt; we are injecting life back into the local economy,” the President stated. He added the project “dramatically cuts down daily travel times, eliminates frustrating gridlocks, and ensures that businesses in this densely populated area can thrive under the right conditions.”
Tinubu highlighted the speed of delivery in the district, pointing to last week’s commissioning of a satellite water supply to Karu and nearby communities as further evidence of the administration’s commitment to easing urban congestion and raising living standards.
To improve safety along the corridor, he noted the installation of modern solar-powered streetlights. “These streetlights are illuminating dark stretches, drastically reducing nighttime crime, and improving visibility for motorists,” he said.
He commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for the pace and quality of work across the Territory. “The rapid physical transformation across Abuja could not have happened without the dogged, relentless and focused supervision of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike. His aggressive implementation of our urban renewal master plan is visible for everyone to see. “By prioritising high-density, strategic satellite towns like Karu alongside the city center, the FCT Administration is validating our governance philosophy: that the wealth of this territory must yield practical, everyday comfort for all socio-economic classes,” he said.
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Tinubu also praised the contractor, Abdul-Val Nigeria Limited, for delivering quality work on schedule, saying Nigerian firms “can match international benchmarks for quality, structural integrity, and project management.” He urged Karu residents to protect the new infrastructure from vandalism and to avoid indiscriminate roadside dumping that could clog drainage systems, stressing community stewardship as essential for the roads’ long-term benefit.
Wike thanked President Tinubu for his support of the FCTA and noted the President’s continued presence at project commissionings across the Territory. Wike said all road projects requested by Karu residents have been completed, transforming the local landscape.
He described the Karu road project as “a promise fulfilled” and urged residents to look beyond political affiliations when assessing development. “It doesn’t matter the political party or association you belong to; when you see a good thing, you should say it is a good thing. Mr. President, whether anybody hates you or not, they cannot hate this road. The opposition uses this road. This is what development is supposed to be.”
Wike praised Abdulval Nigeria Limited and its Managing Director, Otunba Abdullahi Suleiman Bello, for financial commitment and persistence, noting the contractor remained on site despite payment timelines and completed the project ahead of the administration’s third-year anniversary.
Coordinator of the Satellite Towns Development Department, Hon. Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, said the contract was awarded to Abdul-Val Nigeria Limited on August 22, 2025, and was completed within nine months. The full scope included construction and rehabilitation of about 15 kilometres of roads, site clearance and earthworks, trapezoidal concrete line drainage systems, pipes and box culverts of various sizes, pedestrian walkways, and installation of solar-powered street lighting.
Managing Director of Abdulval Nigeria Limited, Abdullahi Bello, thanked the FCT Minister and the Minister of State for trusting an indigenous firm to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda. He assured that the road was built to high engineering standards and thanked Karu residents for their patience during construction.
The FCTA Head of Service, Nancy Nathan, delivered the vote of thanks, commending President Tinubu’s commitment to national development and acknowledging the National Assembly’s legislative backing that enables FCT projects to proceed. She also praised the FCT Minister for leadership that, she said, has brought “Renewed Hope directly to the doorsteps of FCT residents.”
