By Daniel Tyokua
The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Shehu Ahmad on Tuesday, said despite the paucity of fund the authority will continue to deliver infrastructure that will have direct impact on the residents.
He said the achievement was possible as a result of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello’s led Administration to complete ongoing and abandoned infrastructure projects.
Briefing journalists on activities of the FCDA, Ahmad noted that paucity of funds for infrastructure development was not just a problem of the FCT alone, but rather a national issue, as the continued depleting Federal allocation has continued to affect infrastructure development in the Territory.
He said: “Infrastructure development is not a bane of Abuja alone, but a national problem. As it is, funding for infrastructure in Nigeria currently runs into trillions of naira and Abuja, as we all know gets funding for infrastructure projects from national budget which is not enough.
“That is why the FCT Administration is the engaging private sector through the land for infrastructure swap like we have in Gwagwa District, and we are looking at other Districts like Buru Shareti where we have received interest”.
He explained that through the goodwill of the FCT Minister, several efforts have started to changed the trend in the delivery of infrastructure to help realise the dreams of the funding fathers of the city, adding that with more political will, a lot can still be done towards the inclusive and rapid development of the city.
According to him, about 18 projects proposals are before the Federal Executive Council (FEC), out of which 9 are being processed as approvals have been given for award of contracts, which are going to be delivered in the phase of sequence, in line with the policy of executing infrastructure of most impact on the city.
He disclosed that on Monday, it got FEC’s approval for the revised estimated total cost of the contract for the construction and equipping of 220-Bed Gwarimpa District Hospital (Phase I) at
Plot 79 Sector Centre E, Gwarimpa District, Abuja, awarded to Messrs Mabelt Construction Company Limited at the total cost of N5,652,680,046.09.
He added that approval for the revised estimated contract for the construction of three Solid Waste Transfer Stations at Mpape, Apo and Kubwa in the FCT, awarded to Messrs Goodness International Resources Limited, at the total cost of N6,230,103,458.37.
