Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his commitment to delivering quality infrastructure across the nation’s capital.

The assurance came during the weekend presentation of the ‘Nigeria Infrastructure Minister of the Year’ Award to Wike by indigenes of the FCT under the Karu Gbagyi Development Association (KAGBADA). Wike, represented by his Chief of Staff, Chris Amadi, expressed gratitude to the association for recognizing his transformative work in Karu and the wider FCT.

He also commended the people and leaders of Karu for supporting ongoing infrastructure projects and promised further developments to improve their quality of life.

Speaking at the award ceremony held at the Jummai Aduda Youth Centre in Karu, KAGBADA chairman Sumner Shagari Sambo highlighted the minister’s contributions to outer-city districts and satellite towns. He praised Wike for initiatives that have delivered unprecedented infrastructure in areas previously neglected, including:

• The completed Nyanya-Karu-Jikwoyi-Karshi Highway, easing traffic in Karu Chiefdom.
• The Kugbo Bus Terminal.
• The Kugbo International Market, among other significant projects.

The event also featured social interventions, with N4 million in scholarships awarded to indigent students in secondary and tertiary institutions, and N3 million disbursed to women petty traders to empower them economically. Sambo emphasized that these initiatives reflect KAGBADA’s commitment to giving back to the community, as part of their end-of-year 2024 programs, which also include support for artisans.

Sambo appealed to the FCT Administration to address lingering local issues, including relocating the Karu abattoir, which poses a health hazard due to its unhygienic conditions, and upgrading the Karu General Hospital, built in 2006 by former FCT minister Nasir El-Rufai, which remains non-functional, forcing residents to seek care in Asokoro and Maitama.

Former Senate Minority Leader of the 9th Assembly, Senator Philip Aduda, underscored the importance of unity among Karu indigenes and residents, noting that societal development is best achieved when people collaborate regardless of tribe, religion, or ethnicity.