Go Back to Site, We’ll Pay -Wike Told Contractors

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has directed all contractors handling different projects in the FCT to return to site, promising that the FCT Administration would settle them.

The Minister broke this news in a meeting with the contractors in his Area 11, Garki I District office, Monday.

Pledging “We are here to solve problems”, Wike explained that completing some of the ongoing projects was part of his short term deliverables.

He stressed that one of the basic things that made a city was road network, saying: “The roads are very key. We are trying to see how we can map funding. We are determined to ensure that contractors go back to site”.

The Minister stated that he and the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmud have a proven track record in project monitoring and inspection, warning they would not compromise standards.

Expressing displeasure over uncompleted projects in the city, the Minister berated: “It does not make sense to award many projects and not finish them”, even as he disclosed that the Administration would not only use Federal allocation to execute projects but tie its projects to revenue generation to ensure their completion.

Wike, however, warned that after releasing funds to them, the Administration don’t want to hear any excuses at all (after settlement). “I am going to attach money to it (projects)…..I hate litering projects everywhere without completion”.

The Minister said that another advantage when the contractors were working was the generation of employment for the youths; saying, “We are serious and very contractor will go back to site”.

One of the targeted deliverables, completion of the Abuja Light Rail, the Minister disclosed that President Tinubu had earlier given him marching orders to finish the project because he was desirous to ride on the Abuja Light Rail soon.

The Minister, therefore, tasked the Federal Capital Develooment Authority to provide a face-lift to Asokoro District, and resolve its erosion challenges, just like the resurfacing of Maitama and Wuse Districts, among others.