The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the ongoing road construction in rural communities of the nation’s capital will boost food security.
Wike said this in Abuja on Saturday after inspecting ongoing projects in the territory in preparation for the inauguration to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary.
Some of the projects included the completed Market and Palace Road in Gwagwalada, the 15-kilometre A2 to Pai and the ongoing 15.4-km Pai to Gumani in Kwali Area Council.
The minister also inspected the ongoing dualisation of Ushafa to Military Checkpoint and War College Roads in the Bwari Area Council.
Mr Wike said access roads in rural communities would significantly boost agricultural production and impact food security in the long run.
“When we inaugurated the road project, where we stopped was from A2 to Pai, which has been completed, and then Pai to Gumani, which is ongoing.
“But we never saw the expanse of the road because there was no road to drive on. Thank God we were able to go there today, and you can see the vast land.
“We should not be talking about food insecurity in Nigeria – look at the land; look at the water that could be used for irrigation.
“It’s just leadership, and I believe with the leadership we have today under Tinubu, you will see what is going to happen in those areas,” he said.
He added that not much was being done in rural areas in terms of agriculture because there was no access road, and the lands were not being put to good agricultural use.
Mr Wike expresses confidence that with the ongoing road constructions in rural communities, more land will be utilised for mechanised agriculture.
“This will boost agricultural production and significantly impact food security. Without roads, people that want to invest in mechanised agriculture will not be encouraged,” he said.
To further improve road connectivity in rural areas, the minister revealed that he had directed the Director of the Satellite Towns Development Department to extend the Pai to Gumani road project by 13 kilometres.
He said the road would be extended to connect Gumani and Yangoje, also in the Kwali Area Council.
“The road, when completed, will be more than 43 kilometres from A2 (Abuja – Lokoja Expressway) to Yangoje,” he added.
