The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike has disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has generated over N650 million from the newly renovated and renamed Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Barr. Wike disclosed this on Thursday during a Media Chat on some of his developmental projects across the federal capital territory, Abuja.
He revealed that the Politician, Senator (name withheld) that they contracted it to prior to the renovation was remitting just N50 million annually.
However, he said that has changed as the FCT has taken over the management of the centre.
He further revealed that the renovated centre has been fully booked up to 2027, justifying why Nigerians should not listen to naysayers who described the renovation as a misplacement of priorities by the government.
The Minister also dismissed the views that the centre should have been named after General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) who built it in 1999 instead of President Bola Tinubu who just approved its renovation.
Noting that most of the National Assets that were renamed after some persons in the country, like Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja were not built by them.
On why the centre that was built in 1999 under General Ibrahim Babangida for just N240 million, was renovated by the current administration for a whooping sum of N39 billion, Wike contended that the exchange rate in 1999 is not the same with the exchange today.
Moreover, he said that the centre was renovated as a national pride to hold international conferences instead of holding them in the hotels.
On the shutdown of schools and the recent protest by the primary school teachers in the FCT over non-implementation of the national minimum wage, the Minister said it was the responsibility of the Area Council Chairmen to settle the teachers.
While stating that the Chairmen may lack the capacity to settle the claims at once because of their allocations, Wike noted that negotiations are ongoing for them to pay the money bit by bit, calling on the teachers to also understand economic realities in the country.
Asked on the agreement made with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State during the recent reconciliatory meeting at the State House, Abuja, the Minister declined, saying that the discussions at that meeting would not be disclosed. But assured that peace has returned to Rivers State.
He also dismissed the accusation of land grabbing in FCT, saying it was peddled by land speculators and racketeers.
