The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated the power facility at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, 10 years after it was stalled by contract dispute.
The project was held down following litigations between the main contractor and sub-contractor, which dragged on for 10 years.
The case is still before the court of law. Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, who inaugurated the project, decried the pains the ministry’s workers went through in the past 10 years due to epileptic power supply.
The power project was part of the contract for the country’s Foreign Affairs headquarters at the Tafawa Balewa Building in Abuja.
The ministry took possession of the building without the completion of the power project.
This led to suffering as epileptic power supply persisted, thus impacting negatively on service delivery.
Onyeama assured local and international communities that the ministry was poised for greater service delivery.
He said: “So, this is going to be a game changer; a new ministry, a bright new day: bright literally and figuratively.”
The minister also said the delay in the usage of the facility was due to litigation, disagreements, accusations and counter-accusations that dragged things along.
“There has been the principal and there have been subsidiary companies involved. So, that is really what has been the main problem.
“Those who were meant to deliver on it were sub-contractors and the main contractor. They had issues and the ministry was drowning and the court cases are still going on,” Onyeama added.
The minister said the goodwill of many people, particularly the late Chairman of Bullet International Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua, whose company built the building, impacted the job.
“He took the decision that, come what may, whatever it took, he was going to deliver on the contract, irrespective of the litigation that was ongoing.
“And irrespective of so many other things, he decided to just put all those aside and deliver this for the ministry. Then, the other things can take care of themselves,” Onyeama said.
Also, the Executive Director of Bullet International Nigeria Limited, Lawal Isa, said the inauguration of the power facility was a great day for Bullet, for the ministry and for all parties involved in the project.
“This is something that has been on and off for 10 years because of litigation, ups and downs, disagreements between the sub-contractor and the main contractor. But to God be the glory. Today, we have come to the end of this wahala,” Isa said.
On the possible withdrawal of the pending court case, Isa said it was not something he could comment on.
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