SOUTHERN PARKWAY: FCTA HOPEFUL OF EARLY COMPLETION

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is working diligently to ensure timely completion of the Southern Parkway; the road complex traversing four key roads in the city’s main business districts of Garki, and Central Business District.  

Speaking to newsmen on the pace of work recently, the Director, Engineering Services, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Hadi Ahmad, disclosed that the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, initiated the construction of the six-kilometre road because of its envisaged positive impact on the navigability of the city. 

The Administration, Engr Ahmad noted, was concerned that the narrow strip of driveway connecting the FCTA Secretariat from the Tafawa Balewa Way became known for its snarl while the connecting strips were either clouded with dust during the dry season or mashed up with mud during the raining season. He lamented that this made driving to government establishments located in these areas very unpleasant.

According to him, already, the east-end of the road complex, connecting the FCTA/FCDA Secretariats, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Christian Centre, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is at its home-stretch.

As the road nears completion, already the FCT secretariat, NTA, National Christian Centre and surrounding areas are beginning to experience traffic relief and ease of navigability. The abandonment of the road for years had made access to these institutions and surrounding areas difficult.

The Southern Parkway, in the Abuja Master Plan forms the major spine of the Capital City and one of the longest Abuja roads from the Central Business District traversing all the four phases of the Federal Capital City with facilities like streetlights, recreational, café centres and under passes among others. It is designed to complement the Northern Parkway, the major arterial running across Mabushi.

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory are not left out in the sense of anticipation already generated by the project as some have expressed delight over the pace of work on the road, which had hitherto been known by its rough and dusty ambience over the years.

One of such residents, Mr. Tony Aniebo,   a property merchant and developer said “the construction of this road is a very significant achievement by the Muhammad Musa Bello Administration, given the critical place of the road to the business process of both the FCT Administration and major government institutions located here. This shows that the Minister is very sensitive and committed to improving the living standards of the residents.”

It would be recalled that just a couple of week ago, the Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr. Richard Egbule, during a courtesy call on the FCT Minister, conveyed his commendation to the Administration that these feats were being recorded at a period when funding has been a problem for most government institutions.

Cosmas Uzodinma
Chief Press Secretary