Wike Says Apo-Karshi Road Will Become Abuja Tourist Attraction

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to develop the Apo-Karshi Road into a tourist attraction following the completion of the long-delayed project, which was initially awarded in 2010.

Wike made the announcement on Wednesday during an inspection of the road in Abuja, where he expressed satisfaction with the quality of work and described the project as a significant infrastructure achievement for the FCT.

The minister said the original contract was awarded to an indigenous contractor in 2010, but the company failed to complete the project despite receiving full payment.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu intervened after being briefed about the situation and directed that the initial contract be terminated and awarded to another contractor.

“This road was awarded in 2010 to an indigenous contractor. We did all we could to persuade the contractor to ensure that the job was fully implemented, even though we had fully paid. But the contractor was not forthcoming,” Wike said.

He explained that the decision to re-award the contract was driven by the road’s strategic importance to residents and the need to improve infrastructure across the FCT.

Wike also dismissed criticisms that followed the award of the new contract, insisting that the administration remained focused on delivering projects that would improve residents’ living conditions.

“When this contract was awarded, some people were asking how we could award it at that amount. But we were not deterred. All we were concerned about was the happiness and comfort of the people,” he stated.

Describing the Apo-Karshi Road as one of the most publicised projects handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the minister said the difficult terrain made its completion particularly significant.

He added that reactions on social media showed that many Nigerians were surprised by the scale of the project and the engineering work involved.

Wike further described the road as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure drive, urging Nigerians to assess the government’s performance across different sectors rather than focusing on isolated issues.

The minister also acknowledged the role of journalists in bringing attention to the project, saying their reports had helped Nigerians appreciate the scale of the work.

On the proposed commissioning, Wike said the FCT Administration was working around the President’s schedule, as several other projects were being prepared for inauguration.

He disclosed that projects at ISEX, Southern Parkway and Kaura District had also been inspected, while between 10 and 12 projects were being considered for commissioning.

Wike expressed hope that Tinubu would inaugurate the Apo-Karshi Road before the end of November, adding that efforts would be made to secure a place for the project on the President’s schedule.

Regarding plans to establish public facilities around the road to support its proposed tourism status, the minister said the administration would work with relevant departments to determine the necessary amenities.

He explained that he had rejected a proposal from the FCDA coordinator, arguing that the authority’s primary responsibility was road construction, while the department responsible for tourism should determine the facilities required.

“But be sure that I will make it happen as a tourist centre,” Wike assured.