Senate President, David Mark, yesterday flagged off the construction of N51 billion National Institute for Legislative Studies village.
Located on airport road, the legislative building, which will be constructed by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, is expected to be completed within 24 months. Upon completion, the institute is expected to ensure adequate training and research as well as advocacy in the legislative business at the federal, state and local government levels.
Speaking at the event in Abuja, Mark urged the contractor to fulfil its own side of the deal by completing the construction on schedule. The Senate president, who vowed not to be a party to a white elephant project, said Julius Berger must not stop work even if the National Assembly did not fulfil its obligation.
He said: "Very often we accuse the executive of not completing projects, I will not be a party to a white elephant project and I will not lead any group that will be a party to a white elephant project. Therefore, this project must go on schedule. "All the parties involved must honour their own side of the obligation. If by any reason, one side is not able to honour its own obligation that is for instance, if we are not able to meet our obligation in time, Julius Berger must not stop work. We are men and women of honour and we are committed to this project.
We know it is an expensive project because we want it to meet international standard. "I have gone through the various drawings and we are satisfied that it meets international standard. Earlier, the Managing Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Mr. Wolfgang Goetsch, said the company was proud to construct an institute that would have a decisive influence on the further development of the country's legislation. Goetsch promised that standards and specification would be adhered to in the delivery of the project.
Teh MD assured that the project would generate several thousands of jobs during the construction work. He said: "The construction work includes the turnkey preparation of a total of 32 buildings including the convention centre, the administrative building, the library, lecture theatre, hotel, clinic and residences.
"The accompany infrastructure works include the preparation of roads and parking areas, underground services as well as the construction of several technical buildings on an area of more than 80,000 metre square." Goetsch added that during the first project phase, focus would be on core buildings like the library, the lecture theatre, the administrative building and the convention centre.
National Mirror
That's an incredible one....It's always good for us to promise things and then fufil them at the end of the day. It earns us nothing but trust.