The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has announced that some private operators were warming up to take over operations of the Abuja bus terminals, completed and inaugurated about one year ago.
Wike, who explained the cause of delay to commencement of operations at the bus terminals, said that due process needed to be followed in the procurement as required by the law.
The Minister who disclosed this in Abuja, after inspecting the projects expected to be inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu, stated that the delay was to avoid violations of the procurement procedures.
According to him, government facilities cannot be handed over to private operators without following laid-down procedures.
“For you to give a private individual the responsibility to run government facilities, it has to pass through the procurement process. That process has been approved, and the private operator is putting himself together to make sure that the bus terminal takes effect,” he said.
He dismissed fears that the facilities could become abandoned projects, insisting that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would not allow huge investments to waste away.
“We are proud of what we are doing, and we owe no apologies. The government process is not easy. Bureaucracy is involved. Why do you think the government will expend money and then not put such a place to use?” Wike asked.
The minister revealed that the concessionaire had informed the administration that efforts were ongoing to acquire the buses and taxis that would drive operations at the terminals.
Meanwhile, Wike announced that President Tinubu would this week begin the commissioning of a fresh batch of completed projects across the FCT.
He said the commissioning exercise would commence on Tuesday with the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), followed by the N5 Road in Life Camp on Wednesday and the Airport-to-Kuje Road on Thursday.
“You can see we are very set; you can see the smiles on our faces. Tomorrow, the President will start the commissioning of the OSEX Road. The N5 Life Camp Road will be commissioned on Wednesday, while the Airport-to-Kuje Road comes up on Thursday. These projects are 100 per cent complete and ready,” he said.
