*As China EXIM bank pays $150m
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The four hundred and seventy million dollars Greater Abuja Water project is currently at the risk of being revoked following the inability of the Federal Government through the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to pay its counterpart funding of twenty per cent.
Briefing members of the Senate Committee on FCT yesterday during an oversight visit to key projects being handled by the FCTA, the Project Manager of the Chinese Geographical Company (CGC) which is handling the project, Zhong Xiang who made this revelation, said the biggest challenge facing the Greater Abuja Water scheme is that the Chinese Government will withhold their own part of the fund.
“This project is going on well, but there is a little bit challenge for this project. You know this project is financed by China EXIM bank, so up till now, they have already paid one hundred and fifty million dollars from the China EXIM bank side.
“This kind of project always need counterpart fund, so this project is more than eighty percent fund will come from the China EXIM bank, and less than twenty percent will be provided by the government as counterpart fund, but up to now, we have received some counterpart fund, but still, there is a big gap for the counterpart fund.
“Right now we have already submitted the ICP number four which has been paid and China has paid their counterpart fund also. Number five has already been approved by the Ministry, but the counterpart fund is not available and as you know, without the counterpart fund, if we cannot prove the payment of your counterpart fund, China EXIM bank will hold their payment and it will definitely affect the progress of the project.
“So your distinguished, I wish that you use your leadership to resolve this issue quickly so we can hand over this project in time. It is going to be a legacy project for this Government”, Zhong Xiang said.
Also Speaking, the Minister of the FCT, Muhammed Bello said the water from the Lower Usamn Dam will be supplied through gravitational forece to about ten water tanks that will supply water into about forty six districts across Abuja city.
He also expressed hope that the project will be completed within the life of the present administration, especially given enough finding by the lawmakers.
However other districts visited by the Senate Committee show that project execution is going on across the city.
At Institutional District alone, the sum of N3.4billion has been earmarked for construction of roads, bridges, railway corridors etc, many of which are ongoing and at various stages of completion.
Speaking in one of the sites at Institutional District, the FCT Minister, Mallam Musa Mohammad Bello said the district is named Institutional due to avalanche of Federal Institutions in the area.
According to him, some of the Institutions are National Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission, National Judicial Institute, First Ladies Peace Mission, Baze University, Nile University, Teaching Hospital etc.
“This Institutional District strecthes across Ring road 3 and Airport Expressway with required supportive infrastructure”, he said.
Before the Institutional District, the Minister led the committee to ten lane and 10km road with 400metres span bridge being contructed at the Central Business District behind the US Embassy and Kukwaba District along the Airport Road, which will link Galadimawa Roundabout to the Central Business District.
