Article
By Michael Adedotun Oke
While the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) proudly showcases significant infrastructure development, a crucial artery in Gwagwalada, Kaida Road, remains a glaring exception, bordering on abandonment. This critical road, extending from the mosque area in Old Kutunku and leading to bustling economic hubs, now stands as a symbol of the community’s unmet pleas.
Residents, farmers, and business owners in Old Kutunku, Kaida, Gwagwalada Abuja, Nigeria, and surrounding villages decry the deplorable state of this road, which they say has been consistently neglected by successive administrations. This infrastructural deficit, according to local stakeholders, is a severe setback for all forms of agricultural activities – a lifeblood for many in this vibrant area.
Kaida Road serves as a gateway to diverse economic activities: agriculture and farming, local commerce, education, and social services. The road connects to crucial local markets in Gwagwalada, where traders buy and sell goods. Its impassable condition stifles trade and limits access for both vendors and customers. Additionally, the road links residents to vital institutions like Kutunku Primary School and the “Kidz Project for Early Literacy,” Maof Barbing Saloon, as well as the Gwagwalada Area Council Secretariat, and various churches and mosques, whose congregations face daily commuting challenges.
The ongoing neglect of Kaida Road is a direct contradiction to the “Infrastructure-Led Development” model, which asserts that robust public infrastructure is foundational to economic growth. Currently, the road acts as a bottleneck, stifling the inherent economic potential of the area. Investing here would create a “Growth Pole,” stimulating multiplier effects across agriculture, commerce, and social services, benefiting thousands.
Louisville Girls Secondary School, nestled amidst the Basa tribe along this challenging corridor, continues to thrive despite the arduous access. Renowned for its holistic student development – spiritual, moral, social, and academic – the school prides itself on producing globally successful alumni. It even extends scholarships to indigent children and organizes extensive community outreach, demonstrating resilience in the face of infrastructural adversity. However, the poor road conditions severely impede its daily operations, affecting student and staff commutes, and the easy flow of goods and services vital for its sustenance.
The impassable nature of Kaida Road not only frustrates commuters but also significantly raises the cost of doing business, discouraging investment and perpetuating a cycle of underdevelopment in an otherwise economically active area. We appeal earnestly to the current FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene. Completing the development of Kaida Road is not just an infrastructure project; it is an investment in human dignity, food security, economic prosperity, and the future of countless families and institutions like Louisville Girls Secondary School. This is an opportunity to uplift a resilient community and ensure that high praise for FCT’s development extends to every corner, including Kaida Road Old Kutunku Gwagwalada.
*Oke is the Founder, Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation (MAOF)
Plot 232 Kaida, Along Old Kuntunku Gwagwalada
P.O. Box 11611, Garki Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria
Phone: +234 802 714 2077, +234 805 271 9697
Email: maof2020@gmail.com
