In a recent disclosure, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Barrister Nyesom Wike, uncovered that the Chinese construction company managing the Abuja metro rail project, CCECC, insisted on a staggering $129 million for the training of staff tasked with overseeing crucial aspects of the Abuja metro line.
Wike unveiled this revelation during a discussion with media representatives in his Abuja office, highlighting his intervention which led to a significant reduction in the proposed amount.
“CCECC initially proposed an agreement with FCDA, sanctioned by the Federal Executive Council, demanding $129 million over 29 months for staff training. This seemed incredulous to me; it appeared more like deliberate obstruction. How could $129 million be justified for training? Even considering sending staff to China, such an exorbitant sum per person is unreasonable,” Wike expressed his concern.
Wike emphasized his firm stance against such exorbitant demands, indicating his readiness to abandon the project rather than concede to such terms.
“I refused to approve such an exorbitant figure. I was prepared to inform Mr. President that if we cannot negotiate a reasonable amount, it’s better to abandon the project altogether. Thankfully, through negotiation, we managed to reduce the figure from $129 million to $75 million,” Wike recounted.
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