ICC Contract Sublet: Wike Summons Emergency Meeting

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has summoned an emergency meeting of some top officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, and Julius Berger Nigeria, contractor handling rehabilitation of the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC).

The meeting was called over reports that a section of the contract was sublet to a different firm without his knowledge.

Wike disclosed this during inspection of the edifice and the N16 road in Gishiri after he was told that the furniture for the conference hall had been sublet to another contractor by the Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL).

The Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, however, said; “You would see that we were at the International Conference Centre, the work is going as expected. The only problem which we identified this afternoon has to do with the furniture that will be in the conference hall. I was surprised to hear that there is a different contractor for that, which is unacceptable to us.”

“The job was given to Julius Berger entirely. I cannot have different qualities. We cannot say that the floor up is furnished by Julius Berger and down is furnished by another company. It is not acceptable to me,” Wike added.

“I have invited Julius Berger, I have invited the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the MD of the Abuja Investments Company Limited to know who did that, and if anybody is found culpable, of course, I must have to apply the big stick,” he reiterated.

Wike stated that nobody should be a sacred cow, neither should anyone do something that is not in terms with what we have agreed.

He, however, expressed confidence with the quality of work, and hope that the contractors would meet up with specified deadlines; saying security reports available to him indicated that many of them have been working day and night.

“I believe, by the grace of God, they are meeting up for the second anniversary of Mr. President. On quality job done, I am sure those who live within this neighborhood are happy with what they are seeing now. So I congratulate them and assure them on our part, we will do all we can to make sure the job is completed on schedule. We have no problem about that,” Wike said.