Fiscal Responsibility Commission seeks speedy completion of Federal Secretariate in Yenagoa

Fiscal Responsibility Commission seeks speedy completion of Federal Secretariate  in Yenagoa


The Fiscal Responsibility Commision (FRC) on Wednesday expressed concerns over delays in completion of Federal Secretariate Complex in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital.

Mr Ibrahim Dauda, Director, Internal Audit at FRC said in Yenagoa that a speedy completion of the project will boost government's policy on ease of doing business.

Dauda who is leading a FRC projecr minitoring team in the South South zone said that it was regrettable that the project which was expected to be completed in 2014 is still under construction.

It would be recalled that the contract for the project was awarded in 2012 at a sum of N2.1 bn with expected completion in 2014.

"We are seriously concerned at the delays especially for a young state like Bayelsa where federal government agencies are facing serious accomodation challenges and occupying rented accomodations.

"If this facility is completed, it will be a one stop shop for all federal government agencies and it will boost the government's policy of enhancing the ease of doing business by keeping relevant offices under one roof.

"It will further be a huge savings on the part of government on the collosal sums paid by various agencies of the federal government on rent.

"We urge the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to make the project a priority and ensure that it is completed without further delays, " Dauda said.

Dauda however commended the contractor for the pace of work so far achieved despite the funding challenges.

According to him, the project status was above 70 percent of the work done while the funding commitments stood at about 52 per cent.

Briefing the FRC team, Mr Nwachukwu Achebe, Federal Controller of Works in Bayelsa attributed the delays to the difficult marshy terrain at the project site which required massive sand filling and extensive pilling to solidify the base before proper construction work could begin.

He noted that the additional challenge posed by the low lying landscape necesitated an upward review of the contract sum from N2.1 bn to N3.1 bn.

Achebe, who put the job completion rate at 72 percent said that the contractor handling the project has been performing optimally and noted that the project has recieved improved funding in 2017 haven recieved two tranches of payments within the year.