The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has commissioned a newly constructed pedestrian bridge across the ten-lane Airport Expressway in Abuja, executed by the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, also known as the Glory Dome.
At the commissioning ceremony on Friday, Wike commended the Senior Pastor of the church, Dr Paul Enenche, and his wife, Dr Becky Enenche, for their commitment to corporate social responsibility through the construction of the bridge.
The minister said the project demonstrated practical leadership and sacrifice, noting that infrastructure initiatives by religious and private organisations complemented government efforts to protect lives and improve public welfare.
“Government cannot do everything. There is no way anywhere in the world that the government carries out every single function,” Wike said.
He praised the church for prioritising public safety and investing its resources in a project that would benefit residents and commuters.
In recognition of the church’s contribution, Wike announced that the FCT Administration would reimburse 50 per cent of the construction cost.
He directed the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, to liaise with the church leadership to assess the project’s total cost and facilitate the reimbursement.
“We will support you. Let us know the cost required to carry out this project, and the government will take up 50 per cent of that cost,” he said.
Wike also directed the relevant authorities to address other outstanding approvals requested by the church and encouraged private institutions and non-governmental organisations to embrace similar community development initiatives.
On pedestrian safety, the minister urged residents and commuters to use the newly commissioned bridge instead of attempting to cross the busy Airport Expressway, warning against exposing themselves to avoidable road accidents.
Providing details of the project’s approval process, Wike disclosed that the church initially applied for permission to construct the bridge in 2018. However, the approval was eventually granted within a month after the application was brought to his attention in February 2026.
He attributed the administration’s approach to infrastructure development in the FCT to the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing decisive leadership as essential to delivering meaningful development.
Wike also dismissed much of the criticism directed at the administration on social media as politically motivated, urging Nigerians to support leaders based on their competence and capacity to deliver good governance.
“Most of the things we read on social media are junks, not truth. That’s why you shouldn’t vote for people who are on social media every time. Vote for people who have the capacity,” he said.
Earlier, the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche, expressed gratitude to God and appreciated the FCT Minister for facilitating the long-awaited approval of the project.
Enenche said the church had pursued the approval for six years before it was secured, adding that the church subsequently set a four-month completion deadline and provided adequate funding to ensure the project was delivered without financial delays.
Explaining the motivation behind the initiative, the cleric said the church believed that Christian faith should be demonstrated through practical love, service and contributions to society.
“Posterity and what we are remembered for is more important than prosperity,” Enenche said, stressing that everyone would ultimately give an account of how they utilised their opportunities, resources and positions of responsibility.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Dr Sam Ode, commended Wike for approving the project and praised his performance in the FCT.
Ode also celebrated Enenche and his wife for their contributions to Christianity and humanity, expressing pride in the pastor’s Benue State origin. He further stressed the importance of collaboration between government and religious institutions in promoting societal development.
Similarly, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander, Tijani Ilyasu, thanked the minister for approving the project, describing the bridge as an important intervention that would help reduce pedestrian accidents along Airport Road, one of the major highways in the FCT.
The Managing Director of Dutum, the construction company responsible for the project, Mr Runsewe, disclosed that the Airport Road pedestrian bridge was the firm’s fifth such project in the FCT.
He listed the company’s previous pedestrian bridge projects at Bannex, Sheraton Hotel, VIO and Setraco.
Runsewe expressed confidence in the ability of indigenous construction companies to deliver quality infrastructure and compete favourably at national, continental and international levels.
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