By Sarah NEGEDU
President Bola Tinubu has assured that his administration will close the development gap between Abuja’s city centre and its satellite communities, insisting that no part of the Federal Capital Territory should be left behind in the delivery of infrastructure.
The President who made the declaration on Tuesday while commissioning the 15-kilometre Gomani-Dafa-Yangoji Road in Kwali Area Council, said the Renewed Hope Agenda is committed to taking development beyond the capital’s urban districts to rural communities.
Represented at the event by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said Abuja “cannot be a city of two worlds,” where modern infrastructure exists alongside neglected settlements.
In his words, “When we set out under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we agreed on one thing: development must reach every Nigerian, not just those at the center, not just those at the cities. Abuja cannot be a city of two worlds, with gleaming district lights but forgotten settlements, in other words, forgotten satellite towns. This road rejects that divide.”
He said the road would connect Gomani, Dafa and Yangoji to markets, schools, hospitals and other opportunities, while opening up the area’s agricultural economy.
“This road connects Gomani, Dafa, and Yangoji to markets, to schools, to hospitals, and also to opportunities. It says clearly that the wealth of this nation belongs to all of us, whether you live on a boulevard or you live on a farm track. You must take part in the wealth of this nation.”
Tinubu said poor road infrastructure had for years denied rural communities the full benefits of development.
“For too long, the strength of our rural communities was held back by poor access roads. Crops rotted away before reaching the market. Young people left because the road to their areas were impassable. Instead of taking them up, the roads were bringing them down. Those things have changed today.”
He said the new road would reduce post-harvest losses, improve access to markets and strengthen Kwali’s position as a major food-producing hub for the FCT.
“With the opening of this corridor, farmers can move produce faster now. Buyers can also reach the farms without delay. And of course, post-harvest losses will be minimized or will drop significantly. Kwali can now stand on its own as a food-producing hub for the Federal Capital Territory and beyond.”
The President also declared an end to abandoned public projects, saying his administration would ensure infrastructure is funded, completed and maintained.
“Let me say this very plainly, the era of starting projects only to abandon them is over. We will fund, we will finish, and we will maintain the infrastructure we are building. From city expressways to rural access roads, every single Naira of public fund must show up as value for the citizens of this country. We’ll keep laying it, district by district, council by council, and state by state, until Nigeria becomes a developed nation.”
Tinubu commended the contractor, Zeberced Construction, for completing the project on schedule and praised the FCT Administration for accelerating infrastructure delivery across the territory.
He applauded FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for extending development to satellite communities and ensuring contractors delivered quality projects within agreed timelines.
Earlier, Wike said the Gomani-Dafa-Yangoji Road reflects Tinubu’s directive that development should no longer be concentrated in Abuja city but extended to rural communities.
He noted that the road, awarded in November 2025, was completed in less than a year, describing the feat as evidence that timely project delivery depends on commitment rather than complexity.
“This work is not rocket science. It is commitment by this administration, commitment by the contractors.”
The minister added that the FCT Administration now prioritises projects identified by communities themselves through stakeholder engagements across the six area councils, saying the approach has ensured that infrastructure directly addresses the needs of residents.
