By Ben Adoga, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday said his administration would not abandon any people-oriented projects initiated with taxpayers’ money.
Wike, who made this disclosure during the inspection of key priority projects in Abuja, noted that while it was impossible to give attention to all necessary projects, anyone that has received executive approval, and backed by budgetary allocation, would be completed.
He said most of the projects he has vowed to complete for the benefit of the residents were started by the previous administration, but have to be completed because they were initiated with taxpayers’ money.
He said, “Since the government is a continuum, it will be wasteful of taxpayers’ money, for us to abandon any project, just because we didn’t initiate them.”
He noted that already the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of Economy have released up to N50bn, representing 50 per cent of the approved supplementary budget for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
According to him, his frequent inspection of the projects was to ensure that quality was not compromised.
He also stressed that there was a need to pay closer attention to the contractors executing the various projects, to ensure adherence to the agreed date for delivery.
He added that he cannot afford to fail, bearing in mind that there is in existence a Presidential mandate to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on performance.
Wike further assured that with the support his administration is enjoying from President Bola Tinubu, all the projects will be completed as scheduled.
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*Contractors assure on May 29 delivery
Meanwhile, contractors working on major road contracts in the FCT have assured the Minister of the completion of the ongoing jobs by May 29.
The first port of call was the Power House interchange where work is in going. This stretch goes up to the Guru Junction interchange.
The interchange links the ECOWAS Secretariat, the popular AYA, the city centre, and to WU Bassey Barracks area.
The contractor, CCECC stated that in exchanges 1 and 2 all the stone base work was ready while the Apo Exchange 2 will be open to the public before the middle of the month.
Wike who demanded an assurance was assured that all would be ready before May 29.
“We have done our best by paying you, so you must do your best to complete the job as agreed,” Wike charged the contractor,” he said.
The contractor explained that that would make the Outer Southern Expressway usable, even before the date of commissioning.
He also explained that four exchanges were simultaneously worked on and only a fraction was left to be done.
At the Vice President’s residence where Julius Berger is handling the construction of a residential apartment for the vice president of Nigeria.
Here they also assured that finishing touches were required and that all would be ready before the May 29 date for presidential commissioning.
The third location was the M-20 road, connecting Park Way.
Gilmore, the contractor equally assured that the job would be ready as stipulated.
