“This job is not a likable job. It’s not a job that people will like you. It’s a job that people will hate you because you are doing the right thing. But at the end of the day, they will come to love you.”
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyeson Wike made the statement today, August 22, while receiving handing over notes from the FCT Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, signaling a new chapter in the administration of the FCT.
The Minister stressed that the Administration under his leadership, will focus on short, medium and long-term goals that will bring development in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On the short-term goals, the new FCT Minister said that the issue of street lights, waste management, mass transportation and environmental sanitation would be given immediate attention.
He said that on the medium and long term plans, the Administration will address the issue of proliferation of shanties, land racketeering, violation of the Abuja masterplan, infrastructure development, procurement issues among others.
On infrastructure development, Wike said that the Administration will consider the availability of resources before embarking on any infrastructural project, adding that no project will be abandoned under his tenure as Minister.
“I don’t do anything called abandoned project. I’m not a party to abandoned project. Any project that has no cash backing will not be awarded. There must be money and I know that money has been provided for this project. And I don’t do a project that will take me more than one year.”
The Minister clarified the misconceptions that his administration’s deliverables were aimed at making life difficult for the residents, assuring that difficult decisions will only be made to improve the lot of Nigerians in the capital city.
He charged senior officials of the Administration to work hard and do their jobs effectively and efficiently, insisting that lapses will no longer be tolerated.
The Minister also charged the staff to always do the right thing at all times, saying that leadership requires that decisions must be made in every situation even when it is inconvenient.
Earlier, the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, congratulated the Minister on his deserving appointment and also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assigning them the important portfolios.
Dr. Mahmoud called for maximum cooperation and loyalty of staff, saying that they must work according to the vision of the President to bring renewed hope.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola informed the Ministers that the capital city is home to a workforce of 40,000 skilled and dedicated professionals, and pledged their loyalty and support for the new Administration.
“Let me assure you of the unflinching loyalty and dedication of our workforce. The men and women who tirelessly serve the FCTA are not merely employees; they are partners of our shared vision, ambassadors of progress and custodians of the dreams of our founding fathers.
“With their high sense of commitment and expertise, they are poised to stand by your side, ensuring the success of your tenure and the fulfilment of the aspirations we hold dear.”
The Permanent Secretary said that some of the activities lined up for the Ministers in the coming days, including the flag-off of projects for the resurfacing of various roads in the Federal Capital City (FCC), distribution of palliatives to residents as well as the flag-off of the park and pay project in the FCC, amongst others.
