China provided 85% of Abuja water project cost – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, expressed excitement at completing the $470 million Greater Abuja Water Supply Project eight years after.

Mr Wike expressed his excitement in Abuja on Monday at the inauguration of the project by President Bola Tinubu to celebrate his second year in office.

He explained that the project was awarded in 2017 under a partnership with the African Development Initiative to take care of loop one, two, five and six.

He added that the Chinese government provided 85 per cent of the funds while the federal government and the FCT provided 15 per cent.

The minister added that the project was completed in just two years in office, following Mr Tinubu’s directive to improve water supply in the city.

“Although the project was awarded since 2017, your administration has completed it and today we are inaugurating it to improve water supply in the city,” he said.

Mr Wike recalled that the FCT Administration had in 2024 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese company to provide water in FCT satellite towns.

“I want to say today, that we’ve almost completed the procurement process to provide water to residents of Bwari, Kubwa, and Karu, among other communities.

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“So, Mr President, you are not only providing water to residents in the cities; you are also providing water to residents in satellite towns,” he added.

He thanked Mr Tinubu for the support and assured him that this project would be completed and inaugurated in 2026 to celebrate his third year in office.

He equally thanked the National Assembly for the tireless support, which he described as “very encouraging”.

Inaugurating the project, Mr Tinubu described it as a “monumental effort” that would ensure safe, sustainable and sufficient water to homes, institutions and communities across the capital city.

According to him, water is not a luxury, but a basic human right and a foundation for public health, urban development and economic growth.

He thanked Mr Wike for exhibiting a great virtue of leadership.

“This virtue is when a leader is very conscious of the needs of his people and he goes about, committed with dedication to do it.

“That’s what you have been exhibiting in FCT,” Mr Tinubu said.

The FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, thanked Mr Tinubu for his steadfast commitment to the welfare of Nigerians and for making the delivery of essential services a key priority of his “Renewed Hope Agenda”.

“Your Excellency, your leadership has breathed new life into long-standing projects such as this one, transforming plans on paper into realities that directly impact the lives of our citizens.

“The completion of these water supply loops clearly demonstrates your administration’s resolve to ensure that no community is left behind in our pursuit of national development,” she said.

READ ALSO: ‘My job is to ensure Tinubu’s enemies watch him on every station’ – Wike

Earlier, Richard Dauda, acting executive \secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that the completed project would significantly improve access to potable water supply in the city.

Mr Dauda said the project involves the construction of water supply pipes in loops one, two, five and six in line with the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.

He added that it involves laying 425 kilometres (km) of ductile iron pipes at various diameters, comprising 256 km of main lines and 169 km of distribution lines.

“The scope of the project includes site clearance and excavation, construction of loops one and two in Phase II, III and part of Phase IV in the northern development corridor and loops five and six in Phase II and III in the southern development corridor of the city,” he said.

(NAN)