The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom
Wike said on Monday that the ministry will deliver the Millennium Tower project
in the next two years.
Wike stated this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with
contractors handling different projects in the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Millennium Tower
at Central Area, Abuja, is a multifunctional edifice with facilities for
cultural exposition, tourism, socialisation, recreation, hospitality, and
commercial activities.
The project is being handled by Salini Construction Nigeria Limited but was abandoned due to lack of funds.
He said that the tower was a very important project that would
change the landscape of Abuja city.
“It is a very very ambitious project, but again if we are
talking of Abuja being one of the best cities in the world, then we must have
such a facility.
“I can tell you it is not easy to go into that project, but
we have decided that whatever it takes, it is going to be one of the legacy
projects for President Bola Tinubu.
“In fact, we are looking at the next two years, if the way
we are going to structure our payment is agreeable with the contractor,” Wike
said.
NAN reports that the project, conceived in 2005 had reached
40 per cent completion, and is expected to, upon completion, self-finance
itself from revenues generated from all the commercial activities in the
complex.
The scope of the project comprises a cultural centre with
four museums, and an expansive arcade consisting of a 40,000m2 platform for
hosting national and other events.
It also consists of a five-star hotel with 55 luxury rooms
and nine suites for about 130 persons, offices, passive and active recreational
facilities, 1200 capacity auditorium, conference rooms,
Others are exhibition halls, shops, a sport centre with an
indoor pool, gyms, fitness, squash courts, and a two-level 1,200 capacity
basement car park.
The Millennium Tower itself is a 170-meter-tall structure
accommodating a revolving panoramic restaurant for more than 130 diners.
The minister added that a careful analysis of all the
awarded contracts with the contractors and his team has revealed that most of
the projects were abandoned for lack of funds.
“The Minister of State, myself, the permanent secretary, and
directors have concluded that it is not possible to carry on with the entire
projects in the FCT.
“Therefore, we agreed to take them in order of priority. We
have tried to work out most of the projects being handled by Julius Berger and
agreed to see that these projects are fully completed,” he said.
Wike added that the Villa Roundabout being handled by China
Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited, would be completed in the
next six to eight months.
He equally said that the ministry would ensure the
completion of the projects being handled by Cetraco Nigeria Ltd, and also put a
facelift on Garki, Wuse, and part of Maitama in the next one week.
He said that the contractors would be mobilised immediately,
adding that Asokoro would equally have a facelift in no distant time.
On the Abuja light rail rehabilitation project, the minister
said that an agreement has been concluded with CCECC Nigeria Limited to give
them their money in the next two days so they can go to work.
“We are also discussing with the company the operation cost
because it will not be good to rehabilitate and then you cannot operate.
“We have told them that on Thursday, we are going to meet to
talk about the operation cost,” he said.
Wike pointed out that part of the problems of the projects
was because they were not being funded by the national budget.
He said that in view of the funding challenge, the ministry
would pick some projects that could be completed within a specific period and
then decide on what to do again in the following year.
NAN
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