Bala Mohammed and FCT’s numerous challenges

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, made this declaration on assumption of duty. He has kept to these words as he delivers the dividends of democracy to residents of the FCT without pump and pageantry. To most people this style of his is quite extraordinary as the typical human being wants to always be heard and seen even he has not executed responsibilities and expectations expected of him or her.
Residents of the FCT indeed know that positive and impactful things are happening in their domain. It is indeed a silent revolution.  A couple of weeks ago, construction of the Mabushi / Gwarimpa / Kado bypass was completed and opened for use without the usual noise that accompanies such accomplishment. With the opening of this bypass that goes through Ahmadu Bello Way, crossing the bride above the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) connecting Berger and Mabushi Junction up to the Tipper Garage, motorists can now save precious time and energy and in turn reduce the heavy traffic on the Kubwa expressway which is also being expanded into ten lanes.
Concerned about the hardship residents of the FCT face daily as they move from one location to another, a scenario brought about by the large influx of people into Nigeria’s federal capital, the minister has at every opportunity and at any time of the day continued to pay surprise visits to ensure the early completion of other roads under expansion, construction or repairs.
A case in point is the minister’s recent unannounced visit to see, firsthand, the progress of work being done on the Kuje / Gwagwalada bypass. His verdict after the visit: “After going round and seeing things for myself, I would want to ask the contractors handling this very important project to speed up work or have their contract terminated.”
Although one has lost count of the number of times Senator Bala Mohammed  has paid both announced and unannounced visits to various ongoing projects in the FCT, those that he frequents the most are the road expansion to 10 lanes from Airport to Lugbe and from Lugbe to the City Gate being handled by Julius Berger and from Zuba to Dutse Alhaji Junction and from Dutse Alhaji Junction to the Aso Villa roundabout of the Outer Northern Expressway (Kubwa Expressway) projects being handled by Messrs Dantata and Sawoe and CGC Nigeria Limited.
As a way of removing the hurdles bedeviling the transportation sector in the Federal Capital Territory through the provision of alternative means of transportation, the FCT Administration has begun talks with investors on the construction of a monorail that is expected to begin from Nyanya / Kugbo / AYA to the City Centre, just as it has set up a committee made up of the VIO, Police and Civil Defence Corps charged to find permanent solution to the traffic snarls on all exit and entry points to the FCT.
In his determination to ensure that the territory lives up to its name, the minister of the FCT has ensured the completion of the supply and construction of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) traffic lights at 32 At-Grade Intersections in the Federal City Centre (FCC) project which include civil works, provision of signal heads, cablings, traffic count, programming and testing, provision of reverse count-down timers and provision of solar panels at four intersections.
Under the leadership of Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the FCTA has also awarded contract for the design and construction of traffic light signals at 20-at-grade signalized intersections in Abuja, while the provision of 150 bus shelters in the FCT is on-going and procurement process is also on for the provision of solar cat-eye and other traffic improvement measures at Utako District, Jabi, Garki, Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama and the Central Business Area.
Because of his concern for the security of lives and property, the minister has continued to ensure that street lights work as according to him they were not placed for decorative purposes. And to ensure that the FCT is lighted at night for the benefit of all, Senator Bala Mohammed has ensured that the Department of Facilities Maintenance and Management embarked on massive streetlight maintenance that has been carried out in Tafawa Balewa Bridge between Area 3 and Area 7, Moshood Abiola by CID Headquarters, Ladoke Akintola Boulevard and Kumo Road.
Other areas are in Wuse 1 consisting of Sultan Abubakar, Herbert Macaulay and Olusegun Obasanjo roads, while streetlight transformers have been reactivated on Accra, Khartoum and Abidjan streets, all in Wuse 1 District and Sani Abacha Way between Wuse market bridge and IBB bridge in Wuse 2. Street lights have also been fixed in Gudu District which include Jonathan Mariera and Abdulsalami Abubakar streets, David Ejoor Crescent, David Mark and Tunde Ogbeha streets and also Ajose Adeogun, Tunde Idiagbon and Obafemi Awolowo streets in Utako District.
Maintenance of street lights have also been carried out on Maitama Sule Street and Yakubu Gowon Crescent in Asokoro District, Alex Ekwueme and Bala Sokoto streets in Jabi and J.T. Useni, Adamu Fika and Ime James streets in Life Camp.
The rains leave behind blocked drains, inlets and culverts that required urgent civil maintenance which included desilting on Ladi Kwali and Kitwe streets, major bridges in Wuse District, Younde / Lusaka junction in Wuse 6, Gnages Street in Maitama, Abubakar Koko Road and Aliyu Mohammed Street in Life Camp and patching of potholes with asphalt on Adamu Fika, J.T. Useni, Abubakar Koko streets and roundabout at Kado Estate.
Definitely, for the FCT minister, the sky is the limit, and like he used to say, “I want to make a positive mark in the Federal Capital Territory. I do not want to live with guilt and a heavy heart which will happen if I do not make a difference. I want to leave the nation’s capital, Abuja, better than I met it. This is my determination. I believe in action and not words which really translate to nothing if those words are not put to proper use, through action which definitely speaks louder than words.”
Lohor is Media Assistant to FCT minister.