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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that no Nigerian should become a victim of national development, stressing that communities affected by major government projects must also benefit from improved infrastructure and better living conditions.
Akpabio made the statement during the commissioning of the airport road link to Tunga Madaki Community in the Federal Capital Territory, where he highlighted the long-standing challenges faced by residents despite their proximity to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
He said it was unacceptable that communities that surrendered their lands for national projects remained disconnected from basic infrastructure.
“You can imagine how close you are to the airport, but you will not be able to access the airport. And this happened for so many years,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President stated that development projects should improve the lives of citizens rather than create additional hardship for host communities.
“Let me state this clearly. No citizen should be made a victim of national development,” he said.
According to Akpabio, after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, brought the concerns of the community to his attention, he directed that solutions should prioritise the needs of residents.
“When the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, brought this matter to my attention, my directive was unequivocal,” he said.
“I stated, whatever the communities ask for, to make their lives better and whole, give it to them. My administration will not only take from the communities, we will build the communities, we shall also replace and we shall also elevate the standard of living of the communities.”
He added that the commissioning of the road project represented the fulfilment of that commitment.
“Today, I must say that we have fulfilled that solemn promise,” Akpabio stated.
Speaking on the Nigerian Government’s development agenda, the Senate President said the administration did not promise quick fixes but deliberate and structured progress.
“When we came into office, we did not promise you miracles that would appear from thin air. We promised structural, calculated, and deliberate progress,” he said.
He noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda was designed to impact the everyday lives of Nigerians beyond economic indicators.
“We promised a Renewed Hope Agenda that would touch the lives of every Nigerian citizen, not just in economic statistics, but in the reality of their daily struggles,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President said the road project was an example of how government policies could translate into tangible benefits for communities.
“Today, we are here witnessing that hope made tangible in concrete and asphalt by the FCT administration under the leadership of Mr President,” he added.
Akpabio also acknowledged the sacrifice made by residents of the area during the expansion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, noting that they willingly gave up their ancestral lands for national development.
“When it became necessary to construct the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, a project vital to our national security and economic expansion, the original inhabitants of this area willingly surrendered their ancestral lands,” he said.
“They sacrificed for the collective good of the entire nation. And for this, I salute this community.”
However, he noted that the situation created a contradiction, as the communities that supported the airport project were left without adequate access roads.
“For years, the paradox remained. These patriotic communities gave up land for airplanes to fly. Yet, they had no motorable roads for their own feet and their own vehicles and motorcycles,” Akpabio said.
“They were cut off from the Federal Capital Territory, and from the very airport, they gave up their lands to witness.”
He said the completion of the road link marks a step toward ensuring that development projects also deliver direct benefits to the people who host them.
