FCTA Proposes Presidential Resort for New Maitama

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has proposed a presidential resort where the president can retire for vacation and devote time for some diplomatic tasks.

The Executive Secretary Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Ahmad, said the resort would  be patterned after Camp David, in Maryland, the United States.

The Presidential resort will be located in the newly created Maitama II where the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved N181 million for the provision and development of engineering infrastructure by Messrs Dantata and Sawoe.

Ahmad said the new district will boast of  no fewer than 5,000 residential plots and many other complimentary plots for commercial purposes.

“The project was conceived as obtained in other nations of the world, particularly the United States. They have Camp David where the President can retire for some vacation and at the same undertake some diplomatic tasks. Many countries have similar resorts, but we lack that in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja. This facility for a Presidential Resort in Maitama ll is one of the things we intend to develop in that sector,” Ahmad said.

The new district that straddles Lungi and Gowon Barracks is perched on a hilltop within the precinct of Aso Roads.

The executive secretary of FCDA added that the FCT Administration had also advanced in talks with the Nigeria Armed Forces to resolve all issues on the provision of a road channel linking with the new district.

He said to assess the new district, the Ring Road 1 at Katampe Junction by Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Road will be extended to a new 10-lane road that will run through Mpape all the way to the FCT boundary with Nasarawa State.

The road will be reduced to a regional road in Nasarawa to allow for connection at Nyanya, Ado, New Nyanya, and to Gurku, to address the perennial traffic grid along the Abuja-Keffi Road.

“For the purpose of this project development we are going to develop one service carriage lane on the road. The concept is that Ring Road I as a 10-lane expressway will be extended up to the border eventually as the project is being developed in phases,” Ahmad said.