According to Mr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Millennium Tower project would be completed within the next two years.
Wike made this statement in Abuja during a private meeting with contractors in charge of several projects in the FCT.
According to The News Agency of Nigeria, the Millennium Tower in Abuja’s Central Area is a multipurpose building containing spaces for cultural expositions, tourism, socialising, relaxation, hospitality, and business ventures.
Salini Construction Nigeria Limited is in charge of the project, however it was shelved because to a lack of funding.
He claimed that the skyscraper was a crucial undertaking that would alter the appearance of Abuja.
It’s an extremely ambitious project, but if Abuja wants to be considered among the top cities in the world, then we need to build this facility.
“I can assure you that doing that project is not simple, but we have determined that it will serve as one of President Bola Tinubu’s legacy projects, no matter what it takes.
If the way we are going to organise our payment is acceptable to the contractor, we are actually looking at the next two years, Wike stated.
According to sources, the project, which was conceptualised in 2005 and has achieved 40% completion, is anticipated to self-finance itself upon completion from profits produced from all the commercial operations in the complex.
A cultural hub with four museums and a sizable arcade with a 40,000m2 platform for holding national and other events are included in the project’s scope.
Additionally, it has offices, passive and active leisure facilities, a 1200 capacity theatre, conference rooms, a five-star hotel with 55 luxurious rooms and nine suites for roughly 130 people, and more.
In addition, there are stores, gyms, squash courts, a sports centre with an indoor pool, exhibition rooms, and a two-level, 1,200 space parking garage.
The 170-meter-tall Millennium Tower itself houses a rotating panoramic café with seating for more than 130 people.
The minister continued by saying that his staff and contractors’ rigorous examination of all given contracts indicated that the majority of the projects were abandoned because of funds.
The full projects in the FCT cannot be completed, according to the Minister of State, myself, the permanent secretary, and directors.
“As a result, we decided to handle them in that sequence. The majority of the projects that Julius Berger is in charge of have been attempted to be worked out, and we have promised to ensure that they are properly completed,” he stated.
The Villa Roundabout, which is being handled by China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited, would be finished in the next six to eight months, according to Wike.
In addition, he stated that over the next week, the ministry will assure the completion of the projects being managed by Cetraco Nigeria Ltd. as well as give Garki, Wuse, and a portion of Maitama a facelift.
He promised that the contractors would be activated right away and that Asokoro would also receive a facelift soon.
The minister stated that an agreement had been reached with CCECC Nigeria Limited on the Abuja light rail repair project, and that they would receive their funds within the next two days so they could start working.
“We are also talking with the corporation about the expense of operation since it would not be good to undergo rehabilitation just to be unable to conduct business.
We have informed them that we will meet to discuss the surgery cost on Thursday, he added.
Wike emphasised that the projects’ issues stemmed in part from the fact that the national money was not used to support them.
According to him, the ministry would choose a few projects that could be finished in a set amount of time in light of the budget issue before deciding what to do again the following year.
