Wike to meet NASS leadership over ‘abandoned’ principal officers residence project

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has said that the FCT Administration will dialogue with the leadership of the National Assembly to resolve whatever concern that they may have about the abandoned work at the proposed residence of presiding officers of the National Assembly project.
Making this known shortly after undertaking an inspection tour of ongoing projects in the nation’s capital to ascertain their levels of completion, on Thursday, Wike said the measure aims at avoiding wastage of public funds.
He said, “We are going to dialogue with the leadership of the National Assembly. But the point is this, if you look at how much we have put in this structure and then you abandon it, what becomes of the structure at the end of the day? What will happen?
“They were the ones who initiated that this structure should be built here and the government accepted and have started construction to this level.
“This is not a private residence. These are public officers’ residence that if you are not there, another person will take over. We must understand that public funds cannot be wasted in this manner because if we abandon them, even if the FCTA takes over, to do what with it?
“So, it is very unfortunate that we find ourselves in this kind of dilemma. I will try and plead with the present leadership of the National Assembly so that we are able to save funds and apply those funds in other projects.
“I will also make this request to Mr. President to let him know the dilemma we are in, while the talks with the leadership of the National Assembly is ongoing”.
Furthermore, the FCT Minister, who expressed concern over the spate of abandoned and uncompleted projects in the FCT, emphasized the need to complete these projects to justify the huge funds invested in them.
The projects visited include the proposed FCTA Headquarters Complex at the Ministry Zone, Central Area, the residence of presiding officers of the National Assembly in the Three Arms Zone, as well as the resident of the Vice President at Aso Drive, Abuja.
Others are the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat at the Central Business District, the Roads B6, B12 and Circle Road in the Abuja Central Area as well as the Abuja Cultural Centre and Millenium Tower also undergoing construction.