I have never seen such exaggerated contract inflation in my life – Wike
Toba Owojaiye reporting
Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, voiced profound shock regarding the rampant contract inflation plaguing the nation’s capital. He decried the alarming disparities evident in projects overseen by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
This trend, according to Wike, is deeply unsettling and must be promptly rectified. Notably, he highlighted instances where contracts initially valued at approximately 10 billion Naira had been inflated to a staggering 119 billion Naira.
During an inspection of the ongoing Ushafa-Bwari road construction, Wike expressed his astonishment, saying, “I have never witnessed anything like this in my life.” He firmly rejected such variations and emphasized the necessity of an overhaul in the engineering services system.
Additionally, Wike revealed that the Ushafa-Bwari road project, like many others, had undergone multiple revisions. Initially awarded at 20 billion Naira in 2017, the contract’s value had been revised to 50 billion Naira by 2020. Even with approximately 50 billion Naira already disbursed for the project, an outstanding sum of about 900 million Naira was being requested for what was claimed to be a 90% completed job. Wike firmly asserted his refusal to accept further variations.
Furthermore, Wike visited the Lower Usuma Dam Water Works rehabilitation project on Gurara Road in Bwari, which had initially been labeled an emergency contract. However, upon inspection, it became evident that the project had not been fully awarded. Wike, recognizing the significance of this project in supplying water to the city and its environs, declared that it would no longer be treated as an emergency project.