The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strong support for rural development in the FCT, highlighting infrastructural projects in previously neglected communities.
The Minister made the remarks on Thursday, February 4, 2026, when he received the management and board of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) at his Abuja office as part of activities marking the FCT’s 50th anniversary.
Barr. Wike emphasized that the development of rural communities had been a priority under the current administration. Citing the Tungan Madaki community along the Airport Road, he said “Today we went to Tunga Madaki. It’s really shocking. I pitied the communities. But by the grace of God, by the time we do that road to Zuba, you will see how the whole place will be opened. How can we just be talking about only the city when communities are denied basic things? They have no access to roads to even come to the city.”
The Minister also praised the FCDA and its leadership under Executive Secretary Engr Richard Yunana Dauda, noting that the Authority’s activities had been aligned with the vision of the current administration.
Highlighting the significance of the FCT’s golden jubilee, Barr. Wike announced that the celebration would be combined with President Tinubu’s third anniversary later in the year, saying: “All these achievements wouldn’t have been possible but for the very big support we have received from Mr. President. We must appreciate somebody who has laid the foundation for us to get to where we are. Very soon, I’m going to set up a committee to plan for FCT @50 alongside the President’s third-year celebration.”
According to the Assistant Director, Press (Office of the Honourable Minister), Rabi Musa Umar, the Minister further credited the administration for major reforms in FCT governance, including the creation of the FCT Civil Service, which has allowed civil servants to aspire to senior leadership roles. He also praised the exclusion of the FCT from the Treasury Single Account (TSA), enabling the Administration to boost internally generated revenue and secure bank funding for infrastructure development.
Speaking earlier, Engr Richard Yunana Dauda lauded the Honourable Minister for unprecedented achievements in infrastructure over the past two and a half years, describing it as the most significant in the 50-year history of the FCT and FCDA. He added that all achievements would be documented in a compendium to be presented to the Minister at a later date.
The FCDA Executive Secretary further pledged the staff’s commitment to building a modern Federal Capital that Nigerians would be proud of under the Honourable Minister’s leadership.
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