By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion would be required to complete the long-stalled Millennium Tower project in Abuja, saying the cost is too heavy for the FCT Administration FCTA to bear alone.
Wike, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said the project, awarded during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, should be reconsidered as a national project and repositioned as a tourist centre rather than being funded solely from the FCT’s statutory budget.
The minister made the disclosure while responding to questions shortly after he inspected ongoing road projects in the capital, including the extension of Collector Road CO1 linking the Institution and Research District with Lugbe, and the Arterial Road N1 from Wuye District to Ring Road II.
On when residents should expect to move into the Millennium Tower, the minister explained that ongoing engagements with the contractor had revealed the scale of funding still required to complete the project.
“You know that is a national project, and I believe that it’s one project that government should reconsider. It should be a tourist center project and the capital involved is too huge for the FCT to have this on statutory budget.
“We have discussed with the contractor, remember that project was awarded under Obasanjo regime. As I speak to you, it’s not less than 300 to 400 billion Naira that the contractor is talking about. And if you look at it, how do we carry such project? It means that every other project in Abuja will have to be abandoned. But we are still talking to the President that we should reconsider it as a national project. So, that’s where we are”, he said.
During the inspection, Wike expressed confidence that all ongoing FCTA-awarded projects would be completed before the end of the year.
He also urged residents to remain patient over the Jabi bridge project, insisting that no project initiated by the administration would be abandoned.
But on the Millennium Tower specifically, Wike maintained that the sheer scale of funds required placed the project beyond what the FCTA could responsibly absorb without disrupting other ongoing works across the capital.
“It means that every other project in Abuja will have to be abandoned. But we are still talking to the President that we should reconsider it as a national project.”
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