President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians, particularly residents and business owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to pay taxes, land charges, and ground rents.

He said revenues are critical to sustaining infrastructure development across the country.

The President spoke during the inauguration of the full-scope development of Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way), stretching from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III in Dape District of Abuja.

Addressing a gathering of government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, contractors, and residents, President Tinubu described the completion of the road project as another major milestone under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President assured Nigerians that his administration remained committed to delivering projects from the conception to completion.

“We promised not to leave this vital artery half-done because the Renewed Hope Agenda is not about abandoned projects; it is about delivery from start to finish,” the President said.

President Tinubu recalled that in June 2025, he inaugurated the first phase of the project covering the Gwarinpa I District’s section and pledged that the remaining section would be completed without delay.

According to him, the promise has now been fulfilled with the successful completion of the Dape District’s segment.

“We are back to close the circle. We are back to inaugurate the Dape District’s section of Arterial Road N5 from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III,” he said.

The President noted that, unlike many infrastructure projects inherited from the previous administrations, the Dape section was entirely conceived, funded, and delivered by his administration.

He explained that the contract was awarded to construction giant Julius Berger Plc in October 2024 with a strict completion timeline of 15 months.President Tinubu contrasted the project with past experiences where major public works remained unfinished for years despite repeated budgetary allocations.

“In the past, projects like this became permanent budget lines — 10, 15 years of excuses. Not under this administration,” he stated.

Represented by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, the President reserved a special praise for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, whom he described as the “Engine of Execution” of the FCT Administration.

President Tinubu noted that Wike’s leadership has demonstrated the impact of accountability and effective project management in public service.

“Minister Wike and your team have shown what happens when political will meets accountability. We fund projects to see results, not to listen to grammar,” he said to a loud applause from the audience.

The President also hailed Julius Berger Plc for delivering the project on schedule and maintaining high engineering standards.

The construction company, he said, had matched speed with quality, helping to transform a critical transportation corridor into a modern urban roadway.

Beyond its physical infrastructure value, President Tinubu described the completed road as an important economic artery that would significantly improve mobility and stimulate economic activities within Abuja and its surrounding districts.

For years, commuters using the Life Camp junction endured severe traffic congestion during peak hours, resulting in long delays and reduced productivity.

President Tinubu said the completion of the corridor would eliminate a major transportation bottleneck and improve connectivity among several rapidly developing districts.

“With the completion of this N5 corridor, we are delivering the seamless district connectivity envisioned in the Abuja Master Plan,” he said.

The road now provides a faster transportation link connecting Dape, Karmo, Gwarinpa I, Kado, Idu, and Mbora districts.

The President noted that the project has created direct access to the Idu Industrial District, a development expected to lower logistics costs for businesses, attract new investments, and create employment opportunities for residents.

Celebrating the completion of the project, President Tinubu stressed that infrastructure development requires active collaboration between the government and the citizens.

He urged the beneficiaries of the road project to support future development initiatives by complying with tax obligations and statutory payments.

“The government provides infrastructure. Citizens provide civic responsibility,” the President said.

Addressing residents and business owners directly, he added: “Pay your taxes. Clear your land fees and ground rents. Your compliance gives the FCT Administration the strength to build more roads like this one.”

The President’s remarks come amid ongoing efforts by the FCT Administration to improve internally generated revenue and recover outstanding ground rents from property owners across the capital city.

President Tinubu also appealed to traditional rulers, youth groups, and community leaders in Dape and neighbouring districts to safeguard the newly completed infrastructure.

He warned against vandalism of public facilities, particularly the streetlights and drainage systems installed along the corridor.

“This road belongs to you. Protect it. Guard the streetlights. Keep the drainage clear. Do not allow vandals to destroy what we built with our collective resources,” he urged.

According to him, sustainable development can only be achieved when communities take ownership of public projects and actively participate in their preservation.

The President said the successful completion of the project reflects his administration’s determination to deliver measurable results despite economic challenges.

“Let this road remind us that Nigeria is on the move. We are reforming. We are building. We are delivering. We will not be distracted. We will not slow down,” he declared.

President Tinubu thereafter formally inaugurated the Dape District’s section of Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way), dedicating the project to the glory of God and the benefit of all Nigerians.

Minister Wike had hailed President Tinubu for bringing the dividends of governance to rural communities through ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.

According to him, many rural residents who had little or no understanding of government intervention can now physically see and experience the impact of governance through roads and other public infrastructure.

“Before now, many of these communities did not know what the government meant because they had never felt its presence. Today, they can point to roads and other projects and say, ‘This is the government.’ Governance has been brought to the grassroots,” he said.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing projects.

He announced that additional infrastructure would be inaugurated before the end of the year.

Wike stressed that the Tinubu administration remained committed to ensuring that all parts of the FCT benefited from development, irrespective of their locations.

The Minister also addressed concerns surrounding compensation and demolition issues related to road construction, insisting that the government had fulfilled its obligations to property owners affected by the projects.

“I want to challenge anybody with property and is genuinely affected along these project corridors, who has not been paid compensation, to come forward. We have paid those entitled to compensation,” he stated.

The Minister explained that compensation was only payable to owners of properties that were directly affected by government acquisition and construction activities, stressing that misinformation should not be allowed to undermine developmental efforts.

He also praised community members for cooperating with the government in the execution of critical infrastructure projects, describing their support as essential to the successful delivery of development initiatives.

Wike maintained that the administration’s focus on roads and other infrastructure was aimed at improving the quality of life of residents and accelerating economic growth, adding that the visible impact of government projects would continue to strengthen public confidence in governance.

The Minister reiterated that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu was yielding results and assured residents that more transformative projects would be delivered across the FCT in the coming months. (The Nation)

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