By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike on Monday shut down the International Conference Center, ICC, for eight months over fifteen years of poor maintenance.
Wike who went around the Conference Centre accompanied by the new Managing Director of the Abuja Investment Company Limited, AICL , Dr. Maureen Tamuno and other senior staff of the FCDA, said, “the edifice is in a total mess.”
The minster, who said that he does not want to probe anyone, immediately closed down the center for public engagements for a period of eight months also immediately revoked the contract from the contractor who had managed the facility since 2005 without any improvement.
He handed over the renovation of the Conference Center to Julius Berger, the original contractors and the maintenance to the Managing Director of AICL, and said that he was confident she can manage the maintenance, otherwise , ” We would weld the big stick for not meeting up.”
“So we have contacted the original contractors that built this place, which is Julius Berger, to come back because if we had brought a new contractor it will take us time but since they have the designs and the drawings so that they can come here.”
The minster recalled that when he came for ECOWAS inauguration last week with Mr. President, he drew his attention to the dilapidation facility “, adding that no right thinking human being would like to see an International location of the nature would see the state of this facility and be happy.
“In fact, during that inauguration, Mr. president drew my attention that the center was very poor. We have gone round and you and I know that it cannot be accepted, no way we can accept this as an international conference center because there is no standard compared it.”
“We can’t endure this embarrassment anymore, we are sorry to announce that every booking meant to be used here would be cancelled as we start immediate rehabilitation of this center to maintain our international standard.”
We believe that in the next 7–8 months we would be able to do something that people will appreciate, that means FCTA will take over the rehabilitation with Julius Berger and Abuja investment company, but it will be a different system now, Wike said.
