ABUJA- AHEAD of the formal handing over to the
President- Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari,
retd, May 29, President Goodluck Jonathan
yesterday urged the incoming Administration not
to abandon the on going projects especially the
Light Rail project in the nation’s capital city, Abuja.
President Jonathan admitted yesterday that the
Federal Government was owing Julius Berger and
other Construction firms presently working on
the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua way (Airport Road),
Kubwa Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) and
the Abuja light Rail respectively, promising that he
would pay the outstanding bills before he leaves
office.

PRESIDENT-ELECT RETIRED MAJ.-GEN.
MUHAMMADU BUHARI (L) IN A HANDSHAKE
WITH PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN
DURING HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE
PRESIDENTIAL VILLA IN ABUJA
ON FRIDAY (24/4/15).WITH THEM IS THE
FORMER CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF,RETIRED LT.-
GEN. ABDUHRAMAN DAMBAZAU.
Speaking yesterday when he inspected three
major ongoing projects in Abuja to ascertain the
level of completion, President Jonathan stressed
that settling the bills became imperative against
the backdrop that the projects have changed the
face of the nation’s capital, Abuja, just as he asked
the President-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari,
retd, to complete all ongoing projects initiated by
his administration.
The President who took a ride in the ongoing
Abuja Mass Transit Light Rail project to personally
assess the extent of its implementation, however
hailed the level of work done, disclosed that he
personally inspected progress on the project as
that would guide him properly on what exactly to
tell Buhari when they meet soon to discuss.
The projects the President inspected yesterday
were the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua way (Airport
Road), Kubwa Outer Northern Expressway
(ONEX) and the Abuja light Rail respectively.
Jonathan who stressed the importance of rail
development in effective mass transit in the
country as he observed that any other way
would be inefficient and more expensive, also
inspected the new rehabilitated and expanded 10-
lane Airport Road named Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
Expressway which is nearing completion.
The road project was part of the Outer Southern
Expressway and Outer Northern Expressway that
had been awarded by the administration of
Yar’Adua at the cost of N257 billion in separate
lots to Julius Berger, Messrs Dantata and Sawoe
and CGC Nigeria Limited.
The President, while assessing the Airport Road,
disclosed that the contract was awarded in May
2009 and that there was 30 kilometer of
telecommunication on the road which has now
changed the face of Abuja.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed
who noted that the roads have reduced traffic
from city center, pointed out that there was still
an outstanding bill of between N5 to N15 billion
the federal government was owing the
Contractors.
Speaking further, President Jonathan who hailed
the Contractors and the FCTA Minister, revealed
that the road was now at 98 percent completion,
just as he urged the new government to ensure
the completion because it serves as a gateway to
the city of Abuja, saying that the world
appreciates the road.
President Jonathan said, “I emphasised the need
for train system in terms of developing an
effective mass transit in any nation. We will be
talking about mass transit and you cannot talk
about mass transit using taxis, small cars, even
the luxurious buses. It will be too expensive.
“Until our rail system works, that’s why we are
emphasising inter city and intra city, normal rail
intra city light rail systems. Of course, this
government is leaving on the 29th. The incoming
government will definitely continue because this
is a noble project to Nigerians especially residents
of the FCT.
“We are quite appreciative of the level of
cooperation. The CCECC has been doing very
well. Of course, the Ministry of the Federal Capital
Territory. They are doing wonderfully well. I’m
quite impressed. I have be wanting to come and
inspect the project for a very long time but for
challenges in terms of my commitments.
“I think, this period, I really need to so that when I
am having conversation with the incoming
president, I will know exactly what to tell him
because I have seen it myself, I have seen the
level of completion. Of course, you know the
usefulness of this project in terms of easing the
movement of the people in the Federal Capital
Territory. I have to congratulate Nigerians for this
project.
“It is the plan of this government to replicate this
in all the state capitals. I hope the new
government will replicate it in other state capitals.
“We must make sure that the most pending bill
myself and the Finance Minister will be discussing
now how to sort out your bills before the 29th of
May, be rest assured that this project will be
completed because this project has really
changed the face of Abuja.
“When you visit a country, the airport and the
road leading from the airport into the main city
will give you the first impression of the country
and that’s why we are quite passionate about it.
We want to do a similar thing in Lagos, but I
believe that the new government will come up
and do better, we have done well and we
appreciate what we are doing and we will also try
and meet up our own obligation.
“These projects really have improved the face of
Abuja tremendously and people come to Abuja
full of praises, if you look at all these, it is really
making Abuja a real modern city, we are quite
pleased with the progress of work, and we will
do our best to see that the commitments of the
government are met.”
Also commissioning the Kubwa express way and
the main terminus of the Abuja light rail project in
Idu, Federal Capital Territory, President GoodLuck
stated that the light rail was key to ensure that
commuters pay less fares which explains why
the government plans for inter city rail which
would link Abuja to other cities to ensure that
every city in the country was linked to the rail
system.
President Jonathan said, “The use of Taxis, small
buses, even the big buses are too expensive, but
for real effective mass transit where commuters
are made to pay very low rate, of course the rail
system is key and that is why the government
has this plan for city rails like this and intercity rail
system.
“Then within the big cities, Abuja, Lagos and
others, we encourage governors of these states,
where we need to partner with them, we partner
with them, where they can do it alone, they do it
to make sure that we have within the city like
within these phases , though we are leaving on
the 29th of May, I believe that by the time we
finish this main lot one and two, this other one to
come on stream maybe in two years time or in
five years time, but I believe that it will come on
stream.
“When people begin to enjoy this and
commuters now know the cost implication that
the savings is low for them, we will implore the
government to handle the other one, I believe it
will surely come on board, we are very hopeful
that Nigerians especially residents of the FCT will
enjoy this when it is ready.
Speaking further, FCTA Minister, Senator
Mohammed explained that some of the
advantages of the project include, to reduce the
travel time on the busy airport express road, to
create employment as well as improve the socio-
economic well being of Nigeria citizens.
He said, “We must accept and appreciate what
the federal government has done in terms of
financing this project and the outstanding
payment of this project which is about N5 billion
and of cause looking at the total amount of the
project you will discover the the federal
government has done very well.”
Also speaking while inspecting the light rail
project at Idu, Director of Transport, FCT
Transport Secretariat, Alex Usuma, revealed that
the official date of completion of the rail project
remains December 2015. He added that the
project is already at 61 percent completion.
According to him the administration was working
on lot 1A and 3 at the moment because of
financial constraints, adding that the start point of
the rail service will be the location where the
NNPC mega station presently occupies.