Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, officially inaugurated the construction of the Kugbo Bus and Taxi Terminal in the Karu District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
During the ceremony, Senator Akpabio lauded the FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, for his remarkable infrastructure development efforts. He highlighted the Minister’s initiative to construct bus terminals as a testament to his commitment to enhancing the quality of life for FCT residents by not only building roads but also providing essential services.
Senator Akpabio emphasized the significance of the new bus terminal, noting that it will serve as a crucial hub for efficient transportation, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the overall living conditions for residents. He stated, “The development of this bus terminal is more than just a construction project. It is a testament to the good works and commitment of you (FCT Minister) and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He further praised the appointment of Barrister Wike as the FCT Minister, describing it as a fitting choice, and urged the Minister to remain focused on his commendable work in the FCT despite any distractions. “No matter what you do, some will still try to find fault. Some were saying, why roads alone. But look at where we are now. We are now about to flag off a major infrastructure that will touch the lives of people from Karu, Nyanya, and others.”
Reflecting on the project, he added, “This bus terminal you are talking about, I looked at the picture, I saw where they are going to be seated, waiting for their bus to come, and it’s almost as if they are inside a major terminal at the airport. This is for me another major wonder of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.”
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Barrister Wike, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, the Senate President, and the National Assembly members for their support in developing the FCT. He noted the success of the Abuja Metro line, which now serves about 4,000 passengers daily, as evidence of the effectiveness of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Addressing the challenges faced by commuters, especially during the rainy season, Barrister Wike emphasized that the new bus terminal would significantly improve commuting experiences and security in the FCT. “When this is completed, what it means is that you will have access to the place, whether it’s raining or not. You are sure of being conveyed on vehicles you can identify, you know who is in charge of the vehicle, and it will take you safely to wherever you are going.”
He also assured that the FCT Administration would not commence any infrastructure project without ensuring sufficient funding and that the bus terminal would be managed according to international standards, with strict measures against touting.
Engr. Biodun Otunola, the CEO of Planet Projects and the contractor for the bus terminal guaranteed that the terminal would be built to international standards, incorporating essential features such as elevators for disabled individuals. He also highlighted that the project would create employment opportunities for residents in the Kugbo District, with over 50 percent of the workforce drawn from the local community.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, officially inaugurated the construction of the Kugbo Bus and Taxi Terminal in Karu District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Akpabio commended the FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, for his remarkable efforts in infrastructure development. He highlighted the Minister’s initiative to build bus terminals as evidence of his commitment to improving the quality of life of FCT residents, not only through the construction of roads but also through the provision of basic services.
Senator Akpabio stressed the importance of the new bus terminal, noting that it will serve as a critical hub for efficient transportation, reduce traffic congestion and improve the overall living conditions of residents. He said: “The development of this bus terminal is more than just a construction project. This is a testament to the good work and commitment of him (the FCT Minister) and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also welcomed the appointment of Barrister Wike as FCT Minister, calling it an appropriate choice and urging the minister to remain focused on his commendable work in the FCT despite all the distractions. “No matter what you do, some will always try to find fault. Some people said: why just roads? But look where we are now. We are now on the verge of implementing a major infrastructure that will impact the lives of people in Karu, Nyanya and beyond.”
Reflecting on the project, he added: “This bus terminal you are talking about, I looked at the photo, I saw where they will sit and wait for the bus to arrive and it is almost like they are in a big terminal at the airport. To me, this is another great miracle of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Earlier, the FCT Minister, Barrister Wike, thanked President Tinubu, the Senate President and members of the National Assembly for their support in the development of the FCT. He highlighted the success of the Abuja Metro line, which now carries about 4,000 passengers daily, as evidence of the effectiveness of President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
Elaborating on the challenges faced by commuters especially during the rainy season, Barrister Wike stressed that the new bus station would greatly improve the travel experience and safety in the FCT. “When it is completed, it means that you will have access to the facilities whether it is raining or not. You can be assured that you will be transported in vehicles that you can identify, that you know who is in control of the vehicle and that it will take you safely to your destination.
He also assured that the FCT administration will not embark on any infrastructure project without ensuring adequate funds and that the bus station will be managed in line with international standards and with strict traffic control measures.
Engineer. Biodun Otunola, CEO of Planet Projects and contractor of the bus terminal, assured that the terminal would be built to international standards and would include essential features such as lifts for the disabled. He also stressed that the project would create employment opportunities for the residents of Kugbo district as more than 50 percent of the workforce would come from the local community.
