The Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, has said that it has spent about N19 billion naira on the ongoing renovation of National Assembly complex expected to gulp N30.2 billion estimated for the work.
The Executive Secretary, FCDA, Engr. Shehu Ahmad who disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a Press briefing said the project is currently at 60 percent completion stage.
Ahmad disclosed that it was initially planned to complete the work before the exit of the 9th Assembly, but commitment to due diligence on the project had delayed it.
According to him, the both Chambers of the Senate and House of Representative, and other parts of the project, are expected to be ready by August this year.
He said: “The project was awarded last year and the completion date is August 15, 2023. It was awarded at N30.2 billion and as at date we have expended N19 billion on the project. And it is currently about 60 percent completed.
“The project will not be completed before inauguration. Their anticipation is that we should deliver the project before the end of the 9th assembly. We know that it is not possible to deliver. We will do what is suppose to be done to meet the delivery date”.
He further disclosed that there were other infrastructure projects that were being designed for Abuja, but has been hampered by paucity of funds.
He said: “Infrastructure development is not a bane of Abuja alone, but a national problem. As it is, funding for infrastructure in Nigeria currently runs into trillions of naira and Abuja, as we all know gets funding for infrastructure projects from national budget which is not enough.
“That is why the FCT Administration is the engaging private sector through the land for infrastructure swap like we have in Gwagwa District and we are looking at other Districts like Buru Shareti where we have received interest”.
