Wike disagrees with contractors on projects variation, threatens to black list failing companies

Favour Ishember, Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has disagreed in strong terms on variation of any project, particularly on the traffic light, as he threatens to black list any company that fails to complete their project within the stipulated time.

Wike, who warned Setraco Nigeria Limited after inspection of some ongoing road projects in the Federal Capital City on Wednesday, said :” When I came on board, I had to call most of these companies and I asked them, will you be able to complete these projects so that as part of Mr president’s 1 year, it may be inaugurated and they agreed then I said
ok.

As contractors seek for increase in payment due to inflation of building materials, the Minister disagreed in strong terms.

Wike said the FCT administration under his watch will not accept any form of variation from any contractor, after paying 97% of agreed funds.

In the words of the Minister:”so we agreed on the funding pattern, and I can tell you repeatedly we have not failed, and as far as FCT is concerned from the records i have paid, not less than 97%, and also when i asked about the streets lights they talked about variation and you know I will never accept that, because we funded the project very well without any failure on our own part, so I have told them categorically clear, there cannot be any variation under the project and if they don’t complete it on time I am going to the company”, he threatened.

“Nobody will play with us and nobody will try to outsmart us, because we are not going to accept it, and of course the managing director was there and he knows that we are serious about it, so they are asking for second phase when you have failed us on the first phase, so issue of variation is not on our table”

Responding on how much has the project cost, the minister said “It will be difficult for me now to say that we have spent so so amount of money, but I do know quite huge sum of money has been extended that i can tell you but without any document here I will not categorically say but I know that huge amount of money has been spent on these projects.

He however, expressed satisfaction over the quality of work being carried out by Gilmore in Guzape and Katampe Districts of the FCT, urging them to maintain high quality because the citizens of FCT and Nigeria at large deserve even better.