The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed discontent regarding the variations in the ongoing rehabilitation of the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC), which was awarded to Julius Berger in April 2024.
During an inspection visit to the project site in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike, who commended Julius Berger for the quality and pace of work, discovered that the conference hall furnishing had been outsourced to another company.
The minister, who noted that the rehabilitation contract was meant to be a comprehensive package handled solely by Julius Berger, queried the deviation and summoned officials from Julius Berger, Abuja Investment Company Ltd (AICL), and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to explain the situation.
“The work was going as expected, the only problem 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,” Wike said
“So, when they say Abuja Investment is the one, who is going to pay for it?” he asked.
He further said, “I am not going to accept that, and of course, you know, if anything shoddy went on, you will hear that I have applied the big stick. Nobody will be a sacred cow.”
He reiterated that having two different contractors furnish various sections of the same building was not only unacceptable but also a potential threat to the quality and integrity of the overall project.
“Nobody should do something that he knows is not in tandem with what we have agreed,” Wike warned.