Gov’t accelerating infrastructure delivery in Abuja despite paucity of funds -FCDA ES

Favour Ishember, Abuja

Despite the prevailing financial challenges, significant progress has been made on the efforts to deliver infrastructure in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engineer Shehu Hadi Ahmad has said.

Ahmad, attributed the achievement to the decision of the FCT Minister, Malam  Muhammad Musa Bello’s led FCT Administration to complete ongoing or abandoned infrastructural projects, have bolstered efforts at developing the nation’s capital city, thereby changing the go-slow trend in the city.

While making this assertion yesterday, at a press conference on activities of the FCDA to ensure infrastructure delivery, the ES  opined that paucity of funds for infrastructure development was not just a problem of the FCT alone, but rather a national issue, as the continued depleting Federal allocation has continued to affect infrastructure development in the Territory.

He said: “Infrastructure development is not a bane of Abuja alone, but a national problem. As it is, funding for infrastructure in Nigeria currently runs into trillions of naira and Abuja, as we all know gets funding for infrastructure projects from national budget which is not enough.

“That is why the FCT Administration is the engaging private sector through the land for infrastructure swap like we have in Gwagwa District and we are looking at other Districts like Buru Shareti where we have received interest”.

He explained that through the goodwill of the FCT Minister, several efforts have started to changed the trend in the delivery of infrastructure to help realise the dreams of the funding fathers of the city, adding that with more political will, a lot can still be done towards the inclusive and rapid development of the city.

According to him, almost about 18 projects proposals are before the Federal Executive Council (FEC), out of which 9 are being processed as approvals have been given for award of contracts, which are going to be delivered in the phase of sequence, in line with the policy of executing infrastructure of most impact on the city.

He disclosed that on Monday, it got FEC’s approval for the revised estimated total cost of the contract for the construction and equipping of 220-Bed Gwarimpa District Hospital (Phase I) at

Plot 79 Sector Centre E, Gwarimpa District, Abuja, awarded to Messrs Mabelt Construction Company Limited at the total cost of N5,652,680,046.09.

He added that approval for the revised estimated contract for the construction of three Solid Waste Transfer Stations at Mpape, Apo and Kubwa in the FCT, awarded to Messrs Goodness International Resources Limited, at the total cost of N6,230,103,458.37.

Similarly, he disclosed approval for the Award of contract for the provision of Electric Power and Water supply to Apo-Tafyi Federal Integrated Staff Housing site, awarded to Messrs Olivec Ventures Limited,  at the total cost of N3,578,679,582.19.

Furthermore, he said: “Approval for the award of contract for the construction of Access Road and Car Park for Abuja Light Rail at Stadium and Kukwaba Stations, awarded to Messrs Datum Construction Engineering Limited N4,600,479,947.25 at the cost

“Approval for the award of contract for the construction of Access Road and Car Park for Abuja Light Rail at Stadium and Kukwaba Stations, awarded to Messrs Datum Construction Engineering Limited, at the total cost of N4,600,479,947.25.

“Approval for the Award of contract for the construction of 15km Road from A2 Junction(Abuja-Lokoja Road) to Pai in Kwali Area Council, FCT, awarded to Messrs COAN (West Africa) Limited, at the cost of N11,584,613,858,.61.

“Approval for the award of contract for the construction of Nanda-Pandagi-Dangara-Agyena Road, FCT Abuja, awarded to

Messrs COAN (West Africa)Limited, at the cost of N9,133,302,039.00”.