By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has raised serious concerns regarding the engineering designs of several road intervention projects initiated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
During an oversight visit to the 15-kilometer A2-Pai road and the 11-kilometer Yangoji-Sukuku road in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT, the Committee, led by Hon. Frederick Agbedi, voiced its dissatisfaction with the current designs of these roads, which are being executed by the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) under the emergency development interventions for Area Councils.
Engr. Ibrahim Isa Kangiwa, Resident Engineer of the STDD, explained that the engineering design for the A2-Pai road was developed in collaboration between the department’s experts and the contractor, ZEBERCED Construction Limited. He further stated that the project, estimated to cost approximately N30 billion, would include the installation of solar-powered street lights, with a one-year maintenance agreement before the Area Councils take over.
However, the committee members were not convinced by the oral explanations regarding the design, stressing the need for the department to provide formal documentation on the project by the following Monday. They also expressed concerns about the safety of the planned solar-powered street lights, particularly as large portions of the 15-kilometer road remain unoccupied.
After inspecting the two roads, Hon. Agbedi addressed journalists, stating, “We’ve been overseeing the FCT Satellite Towns Development Department’s projects, and we’ve seen significant development. Today, we started from the Pai road and moved to Sukuku. Development is getting closer to our people. However, we have some reservations regarding issues like costs, designs, and possible amendments to appropriations that could have been better managed.”
He continued, “While the ministry and its officers have made commendable progress, there are areas that need improvement. We will engage with the minister to ensure a better approach to addressing these concerns. We acknowledge the good work done, but there’s always room for better execution.”
The committee emphasized the importance of having detailed project designs to assess the progress of construction effectively. “Without an extensive design, it’s difficult to evaluate the extent of a contractor’s progress,” Agbedi added. “These observations will be taken back to the committee, and we will engage with the ministry and the department to ensure the people of the FCT receive quality services.”
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