By Ismaila Ajikobi, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike has ordered immediate shutting down of Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC) in other to pave way for the complete renovation of the centre.
Wike who stated this after his inspection of the facility on Monday gave directive for the suspension of all activities scheduled to take place at the centre for eight months during which it’s renovation would be completed.
Recall that Wike had revoked the contract of the previous contractors, Messrs Integrated Facility Management Services Limited, and awarded the contract to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, for “the immediate comprehensive renovation” of the ICC.
The Minister expressed his disappointment with the previous management of the facility, noting that the centre had been left to dilapidate to a point where it could not be regarded as an International Centre.
He added that the project had been duly handed over to the original designers of the facility, Messrs Julius Berger Limited, to renovate, before it is handed over to the Management of the Abuja Investment Company Limited.
“We have gone round; you and I know that it is unacceptable. No way we can accept this as an international conference centre. You can call this a conference centre, but not international. We cannot continue to be embarrassed in this way. So, we are sorry to announce this, every booking meant to be used here is cancelled. Because we will start immediate rehabilitation of this centre, to meet up with international standard.
We have called the original contractor that built this edifice, that is Julius Berger, to come back, because if we had brought a new contractor, it would take us time. We believe that in the next seven to eight months, we will be able to do something that people will appreciate. And then that means the FCDA will now take over the rehabilitation with Julius Berger, and then hand over to Abuja Investment Company”, he said.
The Minister also stated that he would not probe the previous contractor on their handling of the facility and warned that he would “wave the big stick” over the new Managing Director of the AICL if she failed to meet up with what was required of her job.
“I’m not here to probe anybody, I don’t want to begin to find excuses why the jobs are not doing well. The Managing Director of Abuja Investment Company knows what to do, mine is to give the country a befitting International Conference Centre. And if she does not do it well, we have no choice but to wave the big stick, but I believe she has the capacity to run it well”, Wike said.
