The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Musa Bello, has discussed the restoration of the National Assembly.
The National Assembly Complex's continuing repair, according to him, will cost N30.222 billion.
When the Senate Committee on FCT conducted an oversight visit to several project sites being built by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA) in Abuja on Thursday, he made this statement.
According to Bello, President Muhammadu Buhari approved spending N37 billion for the NASS complex repair, which was included in the Federal Capital Development Administration's 2020 budget.
According to him, the sum was reduced in the updated 2020 budget to N9.25 billion so that the FCDA could pay contractors, leaving a balance of N21.025 billion.
He asserted that, contrary to what has been suggested in some quarters, the National Assembly's annual budget of N128 billion does not include the $30,229, 290,830.35 billion overall cost of rehabilitation work.
He also revealed that the contract, which was granted on December 30, 2021, has a two-year completion date.
He said that ITB Nigeria Ltd completed the National Assembly Phase II, also known as "the White House," between 1996 and 1999 without carrying out any significant restoration work on the structure.
Speaking on other projects embarked upon by the administration, the Minister said the Federal Secretariat complex and the construction of the southern parkway from Christian Center to ring road had commenced.
Others he said are rehabilitation of the expansion of Outer Southern Expressway, provision of engineering infrastructure for Wuye District, rehabilitation and expansion of Outer Southern Expressway Villa Roundabout, and completion of B6, B12, and Circle Road in Central Area.
The Minister pointed out how the FCDA decided to prioritize key projects due to paucity of funds, but assured that all projects which were ongoing would be completed in record time.
Bello said: “And in deciding the ones that fit into that category, we looked at the ones that will give the maximum benefit to the maximum number of people.
“All the four projects we visited, you find that they are all road projects that are meant to link one section of Abuja city to another and that is the whole idea.
“The master plan has been designed in such a way that they complement each other.
“So if you finish one portion and you don’t do the other one, then you don’t get the full utility of that particular road.”
Bello further indicated that the ministry is determined to ensure that a number of projects are completed before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“Some of them we intend to develop to a level whereby the next team should be able to do it.
“Ultimately, the objective is to make Abuja a vibrant city; a city where people will feel comfortable; where there wouldn’t be traffic gridlock and where facilities will work.”
On his part, the Chairman Senate Committee on FCT Sen. Tolu Odebiyi (APC Ogun-East), who led the committee members, said, “what we have seen is quite impressive.
“We believe that in the twilight of this administration, in the next month, it is important we catalog all the projects that are being done and prioritize the ones that must be completed before the end of this term.
“This is so that we can also make sure we provide the adequate funding and budget for it.
“Their budget is going to be forwarded to us very shortly and it is important we come and see the state of the work and the completion rate of the program before we take them on.”
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