Favour Ishember, Abuja
A promise that dragged on for more than a decade has finally been kept, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday officially opened the roads, electricity and water systems at the Informal Sector Layout in Wasa District, Abuja, clearing the path for thousands of mechanics, artisans and traders to move out of Apo Mechanic Village.
Represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the President, said the handover ended a cycle of pledges made and broken by past governments.
“The move to Wasa District was a commitment stalled for years by earlier administrations. Today, this government has delivered on it,” Tinubu stated during the event in Abuja.
He framed the project as a central piece of the Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to ensure public works reach everyday citizens and drive economic expansion.
For a long time, traders and technicians working along the Outer Southern Expressway corridor had raised concerns over poor facilities and the uncertainty around their relocation, which is tied to provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.
Tinubu stressed that the work in Wasa is more than concrete and cables.
“What we are unveiling today is not just roads, power lines, or water pipes. It is an investment in people’s dignity and in their right to earn a living.
“The informal sector powers our economy and supports millions of families. By giving Wasa world-class infrastructure, we are turning the area into a modern trading center that will grow Abuja’s internally generated revenue and make doing business cheaper,” he said.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s focus on inclusive growth.
“When we swore in and rolled out the Renewed Hope Agenda, we vowed that no group would be sidelined, and that public infrastructure would not be for the privileged alone, but a bridge to prosperity for the average Nigerian,” he added.
He also addressed the current economic hardship, calling the ongoing reforms tough but unavoidable.
“I understand what Nigerians are going through. As your President, I feel your pain and I hear you.
“The reforms we have started are painful, and families and businesses are feeling the weight. But these were not easy choices. They are critical operations needed to rescue the economy,” Tinubu said.
He pledged continued rollout of social support programs, greater investment in farming, and more infrastructure to spur job creation and growth.
Delivering his keynote address, FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike said the completion proves Tinubu’s determination to keep his word to Abuja residents.
Wike noted that shortly after taking office in August 2023, the FCT Administration began talks with stakeholders, including the Apo Mechanic Traders Association, about moving them to the mapped informal sector area in Wasa.
“Every past government promised Apo traders and mechanics that they would be relocated from the roadside. None of them delivered.
“But President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the pledge and backed it with action. The contract was awarded in November last year, and less than 12 months later, we are here commissioning it,” Wike said.
He called on members of the association to settle internal disputes and get ready for a smooth transition.
“The government has done its part. Now it is your turn. Organize yourselves so you can move in and benefit from the new environment,” he urged.
Wike also praised CGC Nigeria Limited for executing the job and thanked host communities, the National Assembly, and Area Council chairmen for backing infrastructure work across the FCT.
Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as further proof of the government’s push to renew infrastructure and empower the economy.
She said the repair and completion of key projects in Abuja are rebuilding public trust and positioning the capital to meet global city standards.
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