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New Quarters For Mark, Tambuwal, Others To Cost N27.1B, Says FCT Minister

By Terhemba Daka, Abuja 
06 March 2015   |   7:52 pm
INDICATIONS emerged on Thursday that the President of the Senate, David Mark, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha will not move into the new official quarters being built for presiding officers of the National Assembly before the completion of…

MARK-TAMBUWAL

INDICATIONS emerged on Thursday that the President of the Senate, David Mark, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha will not move into the new official quarters being built for presiding officers of the National Assembly before the completion of the 7th Assembly in June 2015. 

   Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Bala Mohammed who gave the indication has disclosed that the new residence being built by the administration in the three arms zone of the city for the four presiding officers of the parliament will be ready for occupation after the inauguration of the 8th Assembly. 

  Speaking while presenting the 2015 National Priority Budget to the House Committee on FCT in Abuja on Thursday, Mohammed explained that the twin component project awarded to contractors at a total sum of N27.1billion has reached 58 percent work level and will require a balance of N15.3billion to complete the project.

  He told the committee that the projects specifically has two components which entails the provision of residences for presiding officers of the National Assembly, which comprises main building, ADC’s House, Guest House, Staff Quarters, Gate House, Banquet Hall, Chapel, Mosque and Power House. 

 He said the sum of N1.5billion was appropriated for the project last year, while the sum of N164.2million was actually released. He added that the sum of N11.8billion has been paid to date with a balance of N15.3billion required to complete the project, just as he said the sum of N2billion is proposed in the year 2015 for the project. 

 On the Vice President’s residence, the FCT Minister said the project has attained 75 percent level of completion with a total sum of N500 million proposed for the project for the 2015 fiscal year. The project, according to him, was awarded in 2009 at a contract sum of N7.065billion.

 Meanwhile, the Minister disclosed that the Federal Government will in 2015 fiscal year expend a total sum of N12 billion on National Priority projects in the FCT.

To this end, he said, the sum of N1.75 billion has been proposed for rehabilitation, renting of office Space for displaced staff and provision of additional security measures for United Nations Building in Abuja this fiscal year. 

 According to him, the sum of N850 million is being proposed for the contract for the completion of roads B6, B12 and Circle road in the Central Business District, Abuja.

  The Minister remarked that the sum of N850 million has been earmarked for the provision of engineering infrastructure to Guzape District Lot I and II, as well as N300 million for addendum contract for the complimentary engineering infrastructure facilities to the FCC stage II.

  Senator Mohammed emphasized that the construction of Usuma Dam, Gurara road will get N1 billion this fiscal year as provision of engineering infrastructure to Abuja Technology Village, Phase I gets N200 million.

  He added that the sum of N300 million has also been earmarked for the on-going construction of Cultural Centre and Millennium Tower at the Central Business District. 

  Responding, Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on FCT, Emmanuel Jime particularly commended the way the budget is structured to service on-going projects in the territory; stressing that the arrangement would remove the incidence of abandoned projects in the capital. 

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