Abuja in safe, capable hands with Wike as minister, says group

Promoters of One Nigeria Ambassadors Club (PRONIG), a pro-unity group, says the federal capital territory (FCT) is now in safe and capable hands with Nyesom Wike as its minister.

Edache Okoh, president of PRONIG, in a statement on Wednesday, said the FCT is fast getting back on track, noting that for several years, the master plan of the city has been ignored.

“After several years of poor leadership and deviation from the Master Plan, the Federal Capital Territory is fast getting back to track, which is an indication that it is in capable and safe hands with His Excellency, Chief Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike in charge,” the statement reads.

“Residents of Abuja and other concerned Nigerians have had to decry the degeneration of the FCT into slums, shanty towns and a city of indiscriminate dump of garbage.

“The last eight (8) years in particular have been very retrogressive. There were no serious developments in infrastructure; no conscious attempt to protect the Master Plan; no effort to remove illegal structures and halt the emergence of dirty settlements and markets; poor handling of sanitation; turning the city into grazing fields and poor maintenance of facilities and infrastructure.

“Therefore, the coming of Chief Wike, whose track record in administrative competence, and bold and courageous leadership was a prayer answered by true patriots. His job has been well cut out for him, and he has been more than equal to the task.

“With a patriotic aggression and zeal, the Honourable Minister who is also known as Mr. Projects, has begun to address the many issues of infrastructural challenges.

“In doing this, he has inaugurated very important projects, reviewing and re-addressing ongoing ones with a view to getting the best results speedily and cost-effectively.

“Abuja is also generally wearing a better look with the removal of many illegal structures, particularly within the city centre. The city is looking cleaner and the menace of movement of cattle across the city centre has drastically reduced if not completely stopped. It is our hope that by the time he concludes his engagement with herders, open grazing will end in the FCT. This will be a major achievement.”

Okoh also urged the minister to come up with counter-crime approaches towards tackling the rising cases of insecurity in the FCT.

“We therefore congratulate the Honourable Minister on a job being excellently done and urge him not to relent,” he said.

“The PRONIG will support him all the way, as long as he is on the right path. As promoters of Nigerian unity which the FCT signifies, he has a ready partner and support base in us.

“We will support him to the hilt. Let us also seize this opportunity to bring to the notice of the Honourable Minister, the rising cases of insecurity in the FCT.

“It is becoming worrisome and taking different dimensions. Deliberate effort should be made to direct the best counter-crime approaches to nip it in the board. Socio-economic measures could also be considered in stemming the ugly tide.

“This is in terms of clearing the FCT of vagrants and creating legitimate economic opportunities that will discourage crime.”