FCT To Construct 30km Roads In 6 Area Councils –Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says a total of 30-kilometre roads will be constructed across the six Area Councils of the FCT. Wike, who stated this when Sen. Philip Aduda and Mr Zakari Dobi visited him in his office in Abuja on Wednesday. Aduda was the immediate past Senator that represented FCT in the Senate in the 9th Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party. He recontested the seat along with Dobi, who contested under the All Progressives Congress but lost to Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party. The minister said that the 30-kilometre roads, five in each of the six area councils, would be concluded before May 29, 2024. This, according to him, is to decentralise development efforts from the city centre to rural communities across the area councils. “President Bola Tinubu had directed that at least five-kilometre roads must be constructed in each of the six area councils before May 29. “This is part of his renewed hope agenda to ensure that people in rural communities were not left out in the development efforts of the current administration,” he said. Wike commended the visitors for working as a team irrespective of political party differences to work for the development of the FCT. He promised to routinely consult them to tribute their quota in developing the city, adding that the FCT Administration would work with everybody that has something to offer. The minister explained that the establishment of the Civil Service Commission for FCT was part of the renewed hope agenda by removing every bottle next to carrier progression. He added that FCT was equally pulled out of Treasury Single Account (TSA) to encourage development in the capital city. “The goal is to rebuild the lost hope among residents of the FCT,” Wike said. Earlier, Aduda explained that the visit was to congratulate Wike on his appointment as Minister of the FCT and commend him for the good work he was doing. He added that the visit was also to thank Tinubu for appointing a son of the soil as a Minister and pledged their full support to the development of the FCT for the interest of all. “We are also here to commend you for the bold step in establishing the Civil Service Commission for FCT, removing FCT from TSA and establishment of. Women Affairs Secretariat to address women’s concerns,” Aduda said. 

We’ll deliver millennium tower project in 2 years –Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike declared that the ministry will deliver the Millennium Tower project in the next two years. Wike stated this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling different projects in the FCT. The Millennium Tower at Central Area, Abuja, is a multifunctional edifice with facilities for cultural exposition, tourism, socialisation, recreation, hospitality, and commercial activities. The project is being handled by Salini Construction Nigeria Limited but was abandoned due to lack of funds. He said that the tower was a very important project that would change the landscape of Abuja city. “It is a very ambitious project, but again if we are talking of Abuja being one of the best cities in the world, then we must have such a facility. “I can tell you it is not easy to go into that project, but we have decided that whatever it takes, it is going to be one of the legacy projects for President Bola Tinubu. “In fact, we are looking at the next two years, if the way we are going to structure our payment is agreeable with the contractor,” Wike said. NAN reports that the project, conceived in 2005 had reached 40 per cent completion, and is expected to, upon completion, self-finance itself from revenues generated from all the commercial activities in the complex. The scope of the project comprises a cultural centre with four museums, an expansive arcade consisting of 40,000m2 platform for hosting national and other events. It also consists of a five-star hotel with 55 luxury rooms and nine suites for about 130 persons, offices, passive and active recreational facilities, 1200 capacity auditorium, conference rooms, Others are exhibition halls, shops, a sport centre with an indoor pool, gyms, fitness, squash courts and a two-level 1,200 capacity basement car park. The millennium tower itself is a 170-meter-tall structure accommodating a revolving panoramic restaurant for more than 130 diners. The minister added that a careful analysis of all the awarded contracts with the contractors and his team have revealed that most of the projects were abandoned for lack of funds. “The Minister of State, myself, the permanent secretary, and directors have concluded that it is not possible to carry on with the entire projects in the FCT. “Therefore, we agreed to take them in order of priority. We have tried to work out most of the projects being handled by Julius Berger and agreed to see that these projects are fully completed,” he said. Wike added that the Villa Roundabout being handled by China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited, would be completed in the next six to eight months. He equally said that the ministry would ensure the completion of the projects being handled by Cetraco Nigeria Ltd, and also put a facelift on Garki, Wuse and part of Maitama in the next one week. He said that the contractors would be mobilised immediately, adding that Asokoro would equally have a facelift in no distant time. On the Abuja light rail rehabilitation project, the minister said that an agreement has been concluded with CCECC Nigeria Limited to give them their money in the next two days so they can go to work. “We are also discussing with the company on the operation cost, because it will not be good to rehabilitate and then you cannot operate. “We have told them that on Thursday, we are going to meet to talk about the operation cost,” he said. Wike pointed out that part of the problems of the projects was because they were not being funded by the national budget. He said that in view of the funding challenge, the ministry would pick some projects that could be completed within a specific period and then decide on what to do again in the following year.