Percy Onyeka
The N15 billion project for the completion of the vice president’s lodge in Abuja is to be completed in May, this year.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, who disclosed this during an inspection tour of key ongoing projects in the nation’s capital at the weekend, said the contractors are at the stage of electrical installations, adding that a lot of changes would be seen in the next few weeks.
He said, “We are at the VP’s residence, which is being handled by Julius Berger, and like I said, they have made further commitment that by May, they are going to hand over.
Why we may not be seeing enough of what we think should be improvements is because they are concentrating on electrical cables. By the next two, three weeks, you will see a lot of changes. They are known for quality and we are really financing them well”.
Recall that the project for the building of the vice president’s lodge was awarded at the initial sum of N7 billion in 2010, and not completed, but was recently reawarded by Wike at the cost of N15 billion.
The minister also inspected a project for the provision of infrastructure for Wuye District, as well as the ongoing 11km six lane dual carriageway, linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje community, where he expressed satisfaction with the contractors for the speed and quality of work on the projects.
Wike further stated that the FCT Highway 105 project, which is the 11km six lane dual carriageway, linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje when completed, would open up the area and bring a lot of changes to the FCT.
“I have to commend the various contractors, the Arab Contractors and Julius Berger. The first site we went to is almost 85 percent completed. At one of those interchanges in Wuye District. The contractors are keeping to faith with their commitment to handover the project by May.
And then we also went to the Kuje road which is the six lane road. It’s about 11 kilometers. That road from the airport road down to Kuje will open up that area of the Area Council. The last time when I went to flag off one of the rural roads, we didn’t see much about the contractors and I did say that the contractors are not serious. But going back there today, one is very impressed with the level of work and the quality of work. I’m quite impressed with what I saw”.
Speaking after the inspection tour, the minister reiterated that no ongoing project in the FCT would be abandoned, adding that all projects considered as priority have been included in the FCT’s 2024 statutory budget for adequate funding.
“We have always said that we are not going to allow any project to be abandoned. We have taken our priorities and most of these projects are also being included in our 2024 statutory budget, which will soon be presented to the National Assembly by Mr. President when he returns from Qatar”, he said.
DAVID ADUGE-ANI, ABUJA
