The Federal Capital Territory, Minister Nyesom Wike, has announced free train in Abuja for two months to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office.
The move is aimed at boosting transportation and easing commuting woes for Abuja residents while celebrating the president’s one anniversary.
The announcement was made on Thursday during the Ministerial Sectoral Updates, part of the activities marking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s one year in office.
The event was attended by several ministers, including Senator Atiku Bagudu, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim Bio, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Dr. Mariya Mahmud, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Mr. Ayodele Olawande.
According to Minister Wike, the free train ride initiative is a testament to the administration’s commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians, according to Daily Post.
He also highlighted the significant progress made in infrastructural projects in the FCT, stating that by next year, Abuja will be able to compete with any other city in the world in terms of road network.
The former Rivers governor attributed the achievements in the FCT to President Tinubu’s strategic approval for the removal of the FCT from the Treasury Single Account
. He also revealed that President Tinubu will commission the commercial operation of the Abuja metro line, clarifying that what was previously commissioned was a building.
This development is expected to bring relief to commuters and boost economic activities in the FCT.
“We are not talking of commissioning buildings but the commercial operation.
“There were no access roads to the stations which impeded the operation of the metro line.
“The President will ride on the metro line on Monday, 27th May; it will be your turn, Nigerians, as from Tuesday.
“And there will be free rides for two months, to reduce the pain on our people, that is what is called Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Wike, who took time to marshal out the government’s achievements under the FCT, said infrastructure, security and education had received serious attention.
“How was Abuja before? Every day was kidnapping, one chance and all of that.
“But when we came on board, we visited the 6 Area Councils and interacted with the people. They said there were no roads, security agencies had no access roads.
“We took it up from there and all the Area Councils can attest to the fact that by December this year, we will commission up to 120 kilometres of roads.
“We have also provided security agencies with all the logistics they need, it’s not like before. The moment they want to go for an operation, logistics are made available.
“You can now sleep with your two eyes closed; even though no society is 100 percent crime-free, but is the situation different? Yes, you can attest to the fact that it is no longer what it used to be,” he disclosed.
The Minister also recalled that the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda was being felt in the FCT civil service.
He said upon assumption of office, it was discovered that the civil servants in the FCT had no hope.
According to him, “the civil servants were not in a position to put in their best; they could not grow in rank; they were stagnated at the director level.
“When we came in, we looked at the law passed and assented to in 2018; we wrote the President and he approved the immediate implementation of that law.
“Today, we have the FCT Civil Service Commission, Permanent Secretary, and Head of Service of FCT; so they have hope now. As far as structure is concerned, Mr President has given them that hope.
“In the area of education, over 19 schools are being rehabilitated.”
Wike, who declared that the current government had carried the indigenous people of Abuja along more than previous administrations, assured that every part of the FCT, including the satellite towns, would feel the impact of the Tinubu government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
