community, metro
RESIDENTS of Tungan Madaki, a rural community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday expressed excitement over the construction of an access road to connect them with other parts of FCT.
The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) that for decades, daily life in the community had been characterised by isolation, economic stagnation, and inaccessibility to schools.
They expressed their excitement during the inauguration of the newly constructed seven-kilometre access road from Airport Road (Bill Clinton Drive) to the community.
The residents thanked President Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for ending their decades of isolation and opening fresh opportunities for farmers, students and businesses.
They contended that it was the first time they would experience the presence of government in their community.
Specifically, the District Head of the community, Malam Muhammad Haruna, commended Tinubu and Wike for bringing governance to their door steps and for taking steps to improve their livelihoods.
“We are happy that this narrative has completely changed. The completion of this critical road, linking Bill Clinton Drive directly to the heart of my community has brought widespread relief and celebration among my people.
“This is a turning point in the history of our community after years of administrative neglect by successive governments.
“Prior to this intervention, the community’s agrarian economy was severely bottlenecked by a dilapidated road network and absence of a memorable bridge that cut us from the rest of FCT, especially during the rainy season.
“We have suffered for decades. It has not been easy for us to transport our produce from the farms to the community, let alone to external markets.
“Today, we are joyful that our story has changed,” he said.
The traditional ruler said that the new infrastructure had seamlessly connected local farms to consumer hubs while farm-to-market logistics had also reduced.
He added that post-harvest losses would equally drop, a development that would significantly increase farmers’ earning and in the long run, improve their livelihoods.
Haruna said that beyond the economic impact, the new road would resolve the severe seasonal education crisis being experienced in the community.
He explained that Tungan Madaki hosts a major senior secondary school meant to serve a wide cluster of neighbouring communities.
The district head, however, said that during the rainy season, the collapsed bridge and washed-out terrain made trekking too dangerous, barring students from neighbouring communities from accessing the school.
“The completion of this road project has permanently restored safe and daily access to the school, eliminating seasonal drop-out rates caused by hazardous infrastructure,” he said
While celebrating the milestone, the community leadership, however underscored the need for empowerment of the residents and provision of other basic amenities.
To complement their newfound mobility, Haruna appealed to Wike to provide potable water to the communities, which, he said remains a critical missing link for the residents’ health and wellness.
NAN reports that the FCT Minister had explained that the project was executed inline with Tinubu’s commitment to connecting rural communities with road infrastructure.
The minister had explained that the access road, which included a four-span bridge, would connect nine communities and terminate at Zuba Road.
(NAN)
W.U
June 18, 2026
Tags: Malam Muhammad Haruna President Bola Tinubu