By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has decried the poor negotiation of the N85 billion Wasa Affordable Housing project, in Wasa District in the FCT.
Wike expressed his displeasure when the Minister of State for FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud accompanied him with other government officials on a visit to the road construction site for the housing estate on Monday.
Acting Coordinator, Satellite Town Development Department, Mr Olusegun Olusan, revealed that the contract for the provision of the housing project was awarded in 2014 at N26 billion but revised to N85 billion in 2018.
Olusan who spoke to the minister said that so far, a total of N21 billion has been paid to the contractor with a balance of N64 billion, adding that the percentage of work done so far was 21.4 per cent.
The Coordinator explained government’s role in the housing scheme was to provide the land and infrastructure, while private developers build houses and sell to the masses at an affordable rate.
The conception of the project, a two-bedroom flat was to be sold to the masses at N7 million, he said.
The minister expressed his displeasure with the arrangement made by the FCT, as he questioned why government would spend N85 billion to provide infrastructure, land without any benefit.
“We are not impressed with the arrangement made by the FCT. Government cannot just cough out N85 billion in providing infrastructure and then give land out to private developers who will build and sell.”
“This kind of arrangement is not commendable at all at all. We think that the government must also participate, having provided the land and infrastructure.”
“If we are partnering with private individuals or developers, the common sense is that you provide the land, provide infrastructure and they come and develop.”
Then government for example can take 10 per cent while the developers take 90 per cent, depending on the value,” he emphasized.
According to Wike with such arrangements, the government would be able to determine the price the houses would be sold to the masses, adding that the masses would not afford N7 million for a house.
However, the minister stated that the project would be revisited for proper planning in a way that the government would benefit from the project and ensure that at the end the masses can afford the houses.
Speaking on the project delay which has being on for the past nine years and counting, the minister said that FCT would not be awarding contracts in a
frivolous manner.
“We will award contact that we know we will finish before embarking on another contract.”
Every contract is abandoned because there is no money. So, we are going to look at everything,” the minister promised.
The minister also visited the ongoing road construction leading to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Body of Benchers building.
The minister noted that the contractor was invited for a meeting on Tuesday to work out ways to complete the road project.
“We have also been to Kabusa Junction, Abuja, where shanties were destroyed by development control. Like we said, we cannot allow shanties to take over the FCT.”
The development control has done well by making sure that the shanties in the area are destroyed and we are going to protect the area to ensure that the miscreants do not return to mess up the place again,” Wike said.
