The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has re-opened talks with a Chinese company, CGC Nigeria Limited for the development of the Greater Abuja Water project.
The project when carried out would boost water supply in the FCT with an additional 600,000 cubic litres per day, bringing the total potable water distribution coverage of the FCT to 60 per cent.
This was contained in a statement by the special assistant media to the FCT minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, made available to LEADERSHIP.
The statement said the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed had directed the company, to produce a detailed feasibility report for the Greater Abuja Water Project.
Talks between the FCTA and CGC actually commenced in 2010 but could not be brought up since, due to the conversion of the Kuje Water Project to a PPP model, among other factors.
But the minister, who went through a presentation by CGC, held at the FCTA Secretariat in Area 11, Garki, told the management of the company, led by its chairman, Mr. Li Xuhui to go back to the drawing board and present a detailed feasibility study of the project.
He also directed the relevant departments of the FCTA to liaise with the company to produce a comprehensive Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) on the envisaged project and also appointed a technical committee to thoroughly appraise the company’s presentation on the project.
Mohammed also tasked the company to produce engineering and technical design for the multi-billion naira project and added that the issue of project cost could be realistically analysed only after the completion of the processes.
He further explained that upon fulfillment of the conditions stated, the FCTA would present the project proposal to the federal government for consideration and possible approval by the presidency and the National Assembly.
In an earlier address, Xuhui had presented an offer by his company to execute the pipeline distribution of water to various parts of FCT including the area councils and the satellite towns through tanks 1, 2, 5 and 6 of the Lower Usuma Dam Water works.
He said the company was offering to execute the project at a cost of $575 million and added that if approved, the Chinese government through its EXIM Bank would provide a facility covering a larger chunk of the money while the Nigerian government would provide the rest in the form of counterpart funding.