President says era of neglect for Abuja’s satellite communities is ending as 198km pipeline brings treated water to Bwari, Ushafa and neighbouring areas….
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to clean and safe drinking water across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), declaring that every satellite town will benefit from improved water infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President made the pledge on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Bwari Township Water Supply Network Project, a major water infrastructure initiative designed to provide potable water to residents of Bwari, Ushafa and surrounding communities.
Although President Tinubu was represented at the event by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, he said the project reflects his administration’s resolve to ensure that development is no longer concentrated within Abuja’s city centre.
According to him, access to clean water is a basic right that every Nigerian deserves, stressing that the Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on delivering practical projects that improve the lives of citizens.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan. It is a contract. It is a deliberate, calculated, and unyielding commitment to governance that works for the people,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that for years, infrastructure development in the nation’s capital largely favoured the city centre while many satellite communities were left without essential public services.
He said his administration was determined to reverse that trend by ensuring development reaches every part of the FCT.
“For too long, the narrative of Abuja has been a tale of two cities, a glittering centre surrounded by underserved communities. We said no. That era is gone. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and development must be decentralised,” he stated.
The newly commissioned project comprises a 198-kilometre pipeline network constructed by China Geo-engineering Construction (CGC) Limited. The system connects Bwari and nearby communities to treated water supplied from the Lower Usuma Dam, providing an alternative to the widespread reliance on boreholes and streams.
Tinubu revealed that he approved the project after reviewing a proposal presented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, with the goal of addressing longstanding water supply challenges in the area.
Recalling the approval process, the President said he instructed the minister to move quickly and deliver a lasting solution for residents.
He added that beyond improving access to potable water, the project is expected to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, lower household spending on private water sources and stimulate economic activities within the benefiting communities.
According to the President, the construction phase also generated more than 1,600 direct and indirect jobs.
He assured residents that similar water projects would continue across the territory, listing Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji as the next satellite towns expected to benefit before the end of his administration.
Tinubu also commended Wike for the pace of infrastructure development in the FCT, describing him as “Mr. Project” for overseeing multiple ongoing projects across the territory.
He urged residents to safeguard the newly commissioned facility against vandalism, noting that it was built with public resources for the benefit of the people.
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, said the Bwari project fulfilled President Tinubu’s directive to extend modern water infrastructure beyond Abuja’s city centre.
He described it as the third major water intervention completed under the current administration, following the rehabilitation of the Abuja city water system and the recently inaugurated Karu water project.
“Since Mr. President came into office in 2023, he has provided water for the city centre, water for Karu and neighbouring communities, and today, water for Bwari. Let people know that we are not concentrating only on roads; we are making sure other sectors are also being touched,” Wike said.
The minister disclosed that the administration has now commissioned 50 major projects since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, adding that another 10 projects are scheduled for inauguration before political campaigns begin next year.
He credited the pace of development in the FCT to the President’s continued support for infrastructure delivery.
“You can be a minister, but without the support of the President, it is difficult to perform. Mr. President has given the FCT all the support required to change the narrative, and we will not disappoint him,” he added.
In her vote of thanks, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the Bwari Water Supply Network as another milestone in the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said the project would expand access to safe drinking water, improve public health and reinforce public confidence in government through the delivery of people-focused infrastructure.
Also speaking, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, disclosed that the project was substantially completed ahead of its original December deadline.
According to him, the water network will not only provide reliable potable water to thousands of residents but also deliver long-term health and economic benefits to communities across the Bwari axis.
