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From Fred Itua, Abuja
More than five years after the conceptualisation of the $470 million Greater Abuja Water Project, the federal government is yet to release a 20% counterpart fund for the execution and delivery of the project.
Addressing senators and reporters at the site of the project being handled by China Geo-engineering Company (CGC ), the Project Manager, Zhong Xiang, said that while China Exim Bank had released $150 million, the Federal Government of Nigeria is yet to release any portion of the 20% counterpart fund.
Xiang who made the disclosure on Monday during an oversight tour of the Senate Committee on FCT on various projects being executed across the various districts said what was earlier considered to be a legacy project is seriously threatened now, as far as execution and delivery are concerned.
“This project is conceptualised to boost water supply across the various districts in the Federal Capital Territory but what is delaying its full-blown execution, is the failure of the federal government of Nigeria to meet her own obligation,” he stated.
“As handlers of the project, we appeal to the Hon Minister and Distinguished Senators to please help in facilitating the release of the 20% counterpart funding.”
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However, other districts visited by the Senate committee showed serious project execution.
At the Institutional District alone, the sum of N34 billion had been earmarked for the construction of roads, bridges, railway corridors etc, many of which are ongoing and at various stages of completion.
Speaking at one of the sites at the Institutional District, the FCT Minister, Musa Muhammad Bello, said the district is named Institutional due to the avalanche of Institutions in the area.
According to him, some of the Institutions are National Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission, National Judicial Institute, First Ladies Peace Mission, Baze University, Nile University, Teaching Hospital, etc.
“This Institutional District stretches across Ring road 3 and Airport Expressway with required supportive infrastructure,” he said.
Before the Institutional District, the minister led the committee to the 10 km road with 400 metres span bridge being contructed at the Central Business District behind the US Embassy and Kukwaba District along the Airport Road.
