The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has officially commissioned a newly constructed pedestrian bridge across the ten-lane Airport Expressway undertaken by the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (Glory Dome) in Abuja.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Abuja on Friday, October 30, 2026, Wike commended the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, and his wife, Dr. Becky Enenche, for their proactive commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through the bridge construction.
He emphasized the role of practical leadership and sacrifice in driving societal development, noting that infrastructure projects executed by religious and private organizations complement government efforts in safeguarding lives and improving public welfare.
“Government cannot do everything. There is no way anywhere in the world that the government carries out every single function,” Wike stated. “You have carried out what we call corporate social responsibility. Instead of utilizing these resources elsewhere, you sacrificed for the welfare and safety of the people.”
In a significant show of support for public-private collaboration, the Minister announced that the FCT Administration will reimburse 50 percent of the construction cost to support the church’s ongoing infrastructure.
He instructed the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda to liaise directly with the church leadership to finalize the assessment of construction expenses for the 50 percent government refund, as well as process additional pending approvals requested by the church.
“We will support you. Let us know the cost required to carry out this project, and the government will take up 50 percent of that cost,” Wike affirmed.
The FCT Minister also encouraged other private institutions and non-governmental organizations to emulate Dunamis Church’s proactive engagement in community development.
Addressing issues of public safety on major highways, Wike urged residents and commuters to make full use of the pedestrian bridge rather than risk crossing the high-speed Expressway.
While detailing the administrative process behind the project, the Minister noted that the church initially applied for construction approval in 2018, adding that the permit was formally reviewed and granted within a month after being brought to his attention in February 2026.
He said the speedy approval by the current administration demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to delivering tangible infrastructure across the Federal Capital Territory through decisive, courageous leadership and public accountability.
“Some people will say, oh, we have had Ministers and nothing has happened. But for the President to have identified me means that he means well for this country and for the FCT. If you don’t have good leadership, you can’t go anywhere”, Wike stated.
He said a lot of the criticisms against the current administration in the social media were politically motivated and called on the church to vote for leaders with proven capacity to provide good governance.
“Most of the things we read in 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”, Wike stated.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, expressed deep gratitude to God and appreciated the FCT Minister for granting the long-awaited project approval after six years of initial applications.
Dr. Enenche revealed that once approval was secured, the church set a strict four-month deadline for completion and funded the project aggressively to prevent any cash flow bottlenecks during its execution.
Explaining the church’s motivation for executing the project, Dr. Enenche underscored that true Christian faith is expressed through tangible love, service, and societal contribution:
“Posterity and what we are remembered for is more important than prosperity,” Dr. Enenche emphasized. “Everyone will give account of their stewardship to God… The account of our stewardship—what did we do with the opportunities we have, what did we do with the resources we have, what did we do with the people under our care? All these we will account for.”
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Dr Sam Ode, commended the minister for approving the construction of the pedestrian bridge and for his performance in the FCT and celebrated Pastor Paul Enenche and his wife for their contributions to Christianity and humanity, expressing pride in the pastor’s Benue State roots. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between government and the church for societal development,
On his part, the FRSC Sector Commander, Tijani Ilyasu thanked the FCT Minister for approving the construction of the pedestrian bridge noting that the bridge would help reduce pedestrian accidents along Airport Road, one of the major roads in the FCT.
MD of the construction firm, Dutum, Mr. Runsewe noted that the Airport Road bridge was the company’s fifth pedestrian bridge project in the FCT, following previous projects at Bannex, Sheraton Hotel, VIO and Setraco. He expressed confidence in the capacity of indigenous Nigerian construction companies to deliver quality infrastructure and compete nationally, continentally and internationally.
