Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said the contract with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) covering training of Nigerian personnel to oversee Abuja Light Rail project, has been reviewed from $128 million to $75 million.
He disclosed this Monday when he presented the proposed FCT N1.15 trillion 2024 statutory budget before the Senate and House committees on FCT.
The contract has 29 months timeframe for the operation of railway signals at the 12 stations of Abuja Light Rail.
Wike said the review from $128 million, which was approved by the previous administration saved the FCT Administration a whooping sum of $53 million on the metroline project.
“It was a back and forth argument but at the end of the day the committee recommended $63 million. And they said it should be without design but I insisted design must be part of it.
“And when I came on board I arrived at $75 million largely because of the additional work and since we are preparing for the opening before May 29, they got 12 stations to clean up put them in order.
“I am making a note to FEC. If they (CCEEC) had not agreed, my suggestion was to tell Mr president there was nothing we can do. It means we can’t go on with the project considering our revenue,” Wike said.
The minister also said reason provision was not made in the 2024 budget for infrastructure in the Maitama 2 District was because the military refused to approve access to civilian population to the new cite because of concern about the security to many barracks located in that axis.
He promised to speak with the Minister of Defence to seek resolution to the dispute.
“I will speak with the federal government to review this. As I informed you the other time when I was speaking on security, most of the lands have been taken over by the military. This Asokoro Island layout we trying to do now, the military are going to block us.
“The military have virtually taken over so many of our land where people are supposed to be given allocation. So, you people can use your good offices and other people to intervene as we can’t continue this way. We don’t want a situation where it would lead to a shoot-out. In fact, there is one committee I just set up one day on the military and people of Jiwa.”
