By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has justified the chunk amount being expanded on execution of some ongoing projects in Abuja.
Wike had during inspection of Abuja International Conference Centre in March, said approximately N39billion is committed to the rehabilitation of the edifice. The amount attracted condemnations from the public.
While inspecting the progress of work at ICC on Friday, the minister expressed satisfaction over the quality work done by Julius Berger, saying the services of the contractor may be expensive but the output worth the huge investment in providing infrastructure in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
He commended the firm for the excellent work being done at the Conference Centre which is one of the projects that would be inaugurated during the second anniversary of President Bola Tinubu in office.
The minister also inspected the N5 road project being handled by the same Julius Berger company.
Wike said the progress recorded so far in the execution of the projects is an indication that all is set for the inauguration of the projects slated for the second year in office of Tinubu.
He said, ” I commend Julius berger for the excellent work done at the International Conference Centre.
“It is a prime example of effective leadership. When Mr. President inaugurated the equal rights Parliament late last year, the state of the International Conference Centre was appalling. No responsible leader would allow such a facility to be called an International Conference Centre.
“I informed Mr. President that immediate action was necessary to restore the centre to its former glory. That’s what leadership is all about. The International Conference Centre was built in 1991, and it’s surprising that no one had attempted to give it a facelift until now.
“While their services may be expensive, I believe it is a worthwhile investment in the quality of our infrastructure. As we say in my local parlance, better soup, na money.
“This project is a testament to the hope agenda, and we are thrilled to see it come to fruition. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Julius berger and look forward to continuing our partnership in the future” Wike said.
