Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has said residents affected by the construction of the N5 arterial road, from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III, will be compensated.

Wike made the promise after inspecting some ongoing projects at Life Camp, Katampe and the International Conference Center in Abuja on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister on October 25 inaugurated the construction of the 4 kilometer six-lane expressway from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III, somewhere in Ido-Gwari.

The Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III road project is the continuation of Arterial Road N5, also called Obafemi Awolowo Way.

The highway, once completed, will connect the districts of Kado, Karmo, Gwarimpa I, Dape, Ido-Gwari as well as Saburi and Dei Dei.

After inspecting the ongoing project executed by Julius Berger, the minister noted that some cash crops and several houses along the road corridor would be affected.

He assured that in the two days the communities of those who own some crops and those who would lose their houses or part of their structures will be compensated.

“What we went to do in Life Camp has to do, mostly, with some crops and a small number of houses for which we have to pay compensation, but if it requires relocating them, we will do it; If you require fair compensation, we will do so, depending on what is feasible.

“The important thing for us is that we are working together with the different communities to solve the problem,” he said.

Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace of work so far, adding that people residing along the road corridor were happy that the road was being constructed.

On the construction of the access road from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Highway along the N16 to Judges Quarters, Katampe District, the Minister revealed that the scope of the contract had been expanded.

He said the scope of the work has been expanded to link with N20, named after Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.

This, he said, would make the path more meaningful rather than ending at Judges Quarters.

“The contractor has agreed that it will still complete the project with the additional work within the same May 2025 deadline.

“So we are happy with that commitment,” he said.

Wike, who also inspected the renovation being carried out by Julius Berger at the International Conference Centre, was satisfied with the quality of the work.

“I am quite satisfied with what I have seen Julius Berger do and by the grace of God, in April next year they will deliver this project and it will be available for Nigerians to use.

“The important thing is that we are going to have what is called an International Conference Center that can meet the standard of any other international conference center in the world,” he added.

He assured that most of the project would be completed and inaugurated in May 2025 to celebrate the second year of President Bola Tinubu’s term in office.

He said the FCT administration would do everything possible to give Nigeria a decent capital that could compete with any capital in the world.

The minister added that beyond the city center, satellite cities are also undergoing transformations to improve the quality of life of residents.

He also said attention was being paid to schools, with more than 32 schools undergoing renovation and rehabilitation.