The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, has called on the National Assembly to increase budget allocation to the FCT to complete projects, like the ongoing Greater Abuja Water Works project.
Bello who stated this while conducting members of the Senate Committee on FCT, who came for oversight function, round the waterworks and other project sites in Abuja, on Monday, said the project was conceived to solve water problems in many parts of the city.
He appealed to lawmakers to pay urgent attention to the project so that the administration will meet up with its 20 per cent counterpart funding for the project.
The Project Manager of CGC, Zhang Xiang, the Contractor handling the project, said the speed of the waterworks was impeded by the paucity of funds.
Xiang urged the Lawmakers to expedite action on the release of 20 per cent counterpart funding which the Nigerian government through FCT was supposed to provide.
According to him, the China EXIM bank has released about $150 million dollars from its 80 per cent counterpart funding, and may not release more if FCT fails to provide its own 20 per cent.
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In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Tolu Odebiyi, said the purpose of the project tour was to determine FCT’s priority projects, so as to know where to appropriate funds, during budget presentation.
Odebiyi noted that having seen the projects and their importance, he would galvanise the support of other lawmakers to ensure that the water works and other projects were completed in time.
“We want to know what there priority projects are so that when they will present their budgets, we will know which funds to be made available for which project.
“I must also commend the team of FCTA for the extent of the work which they are doing. We have seen a number of projects and we are highly impressed.
“The greater Abuja Water Works is also very impressive work and is being funded by China EXIM bank, a foreign currency bank. I think it is important that we look at that so that we can make plans for the counterpart funding,” he added.
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FCT Minister seeks more appropriation from NASS to complete greater Abuja water works
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