By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the Federal Capital Territory Administration is shifting toward industrial waste recycling as part of efforts to build a cleaner and more sustainable Abuja.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects on Friday, Wike said the era of relying solely on monthly environmental sanitation exercises was no longer sufficient for a modern capital city.
According to him, routine sanitation only offers temporary relief and does not address the growing challenge of waste disposal.
“If you do it on a Saturday, that Saturday is clean,” he said, stressing that the presence of dump sites alone could not solve the city’s sanitation problems.
The minister explained that the FCTA was working toward establishing recycling factories that would process waste into useful products, rather than depending mainly on landfills and refuse dumps.
He added that the administration was already reviewing proposals from experts with experience in modern waste recycling systems in other parts of the world.
Wike described waste management as an industrial necessity that should go beyond simple refuse collection, noting that the initiative aligns with global best practices on environmental sustainability.
The minister also inspected several infrastructure projects expected to be inaugurated during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third year in office.
He expressed satisfaction with the judges’ quarters being handled by Gilmor, describing the project as “beautiful” and “99 per cent ready.
Wike also inspected the N5 road project, which he said had been completed, as well as the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which he noted was about 90 per cent completed.
Although he commended the progress of work at the court complex, the minister directed the contractor to correct observed defects before inauguration.
Responding to criticisms over the executive’s involvement in constructing residences for judges, Wike dismissed claims that such projects could undermine judicial independence.
“The mere fact that the executive constructs does not mean that that will lead to interference in the judiciary,” he said.
He added that providing comfortable accommodation for judicial officers would enable them to focus on their responsibilities effectively.
Wike reiterated the FCTA’s commitment to delivering critical infrastructure and sustainable environmental solutions for residents of Abuja.