Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has voiced his strong disapproval of the multiple variations in the contract amount for the Ushafa – Bwari Road project. Wike conveyed his rejection during a briefing with journalists after an on-site inspection of the project, accompanied by Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for FCT, and other government officials in Abuja on Thursday.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Wike referred to the continual fluctuations in the project’s contract cost as “very embarrassing” and declared that such alterations were unacceptable. He elaborated on the issue, stating, “The project was initially awarded in 2017 for ₦20 billion. In 2020, the contract saw a revision to ₦50 billion. Currently, approximately ₦50 billion has been disbursed, with only about ₦900 million remaining outstanding. Yet, they claim that ₦900 million is insufficient to complete a project they previously stated was 90 percent complete. We will not entertain any further variations. We also plan to revamp the engineering services.”
Furthermore, the minister expressed his concern regarding the numerous changes in contract amounts handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), describing the situation as “worrisome.” He expressed his firm stance on the matter, saying, “I have never witnessed such a situation before. The contract variations we see at FCDA range from ₦10 billion to ₦119 billion and from ₦50 billion to ₦200 billion, and I will not approve of this.”
During his visit, Wike also inspected the rehabilitation of Lower Usuma Dam Water Works and Gurara Road in Bwari. He expressed disappointment at the state of the water project, stating that although it was initially awarded as an emergency contract, he discovered that it had not been fully awarded.
Wike revealed that what the contractor had received was merely a letter of intent issued in August 2022. To rectify this, he announced that the project would be re-awarded under his supervision, and other companies would be invited to bid for the project.
Addressing the issue of abandoned projects, the minister reported that over ten contracts had been selected and approved for completion, with agreements already reached with the contractors. He stressed that all payments to contractors would be processed by Friday.
Furthermore, Wike explained that each contractor would receive monthly payments based on project completion timelines and internally generated revenue tagging. Some projects are expected to be completed within six months, while others have a 15-month completion timeline. For instance, the Millennium Tower project will receive ₦3 billion every month, and the resurfacing of roads in Garki, Maitama, and Wuse is set to begin on Monday to address deteriorating road conditions.
