Bala tasks contractor on NASS presiding officers’ quarters

By Stanley Onyekwere

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday directed the contractor handling the construction of new residences for presiding officers of the National Assembly to ensure the completion of the houses on or before May 29, 2015.

The Minister, who handed this directive during the inspection tour of the national houses, noted that it is the desire of the government that the projected be completed before coming of the new dispensation of the National Assembly.

He revealed that the approximately N24 billion National Houses’ scope of the work include the residences of the Senate President with Banquet Hall; Speaker of the House of Representatives with Banquet Hall; Deputy President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He added that each residential compound comprises a 5-Bedroom Main Building with a Swimming Pool and Lawn Tennis Court, 3-Bedroom Residence for ADC, 3-Bedroom Guest House, 4-Bedroom Staff Quarters and a Gate House.

According to the minister, the project is of priority to the Federal Government, which is why all outstanding certificates are being paid without any delay.

He however assured that the FCT Administration would do everything possible to meet its own financial obligations, so as to ensure that the houses are delivered in record time.

 “There are provision of common facilities such as Chapel, Mosque, General Gate House and utilities,” the minister noted.

Also, the minister inspected the Vice President’s House under construction and employed the contractor to double its efforts to deliver the project; assuring that his Administration is determined to iron out all the knotty issues of variation due to the additional work on the project.

Senator Mohammed was also at the United Nations Building, which is being rehabilitated after the incident of Bomb attack on the premises.

He appealed to the contractor to as a matter of urgency complete the project; stressing that even the angle of corporate social responsibility should be able to motivate the contractor.

Specifically, the minister pledged to sit down with the representatives of the United Nations and the contractors handling the project to find ways of handling the new additional work that include the security and furniture.

At the UN House, its representative on Drugs and Crimes, Mariam Sissoko, who received the Minister and his entourage at the UN House on behalf of the Country’s UN Agencies Coordinator, Daudou Toure, stressed the need for the government to facilitate the commence of the furnishing  and security reinforcement aspect of the building.

Sissoko who insisted that without beefing up security at UN House that the staff scattered in the city cannot return to the building, however thanked the Minister for his concern and the support received so far by the government.

 Peoples Daily reports that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is the construction firm handling all the projects inspected by the minister, who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Adamu Ismaila, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq, the Directors of Engineering Services and the Public Building among other top management staff.