…calls for reduction in cost of construction
From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Barr. Nyesom Wike, last week said, Abuja has the largest quarry in West Africa.
Wike who said there is need for the reduction in the cost of construction, expressed this when he visited the Zeberced Limited Quarry, the biggest Quarry in West Africa, located in the Kubwa District of Abuja.
The Minister stated that the visit was at the invitation of the Managing director of Zeberced Group, Ayden Adil Kurt to see the activities at the Quarry.
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During the visit, Wike was however impressed with the humongous scale of industrial activities at the quarry, including the production of gravel, stone dust and asphalt amongst others.
He commended the company for its efforts and commitment to the project, saying, he wondered why contractors still quoted exorbitant costs for construction projects in the FCT after seeing the essential raw materials readily available at the quarry.
On the cost of construction he said, “ordinarily, the cost of construction ought not to be very expensive, particularly in the FCT. Apart from the equipment that are being imported that are used for this quarry, the raw material is available here and I wonder why contractors will be talking about cost of aggregate as if these are imported. They are not imported. They are made here.
“So, I really want to encourage this company. It’s really amazing that we have this type of manufacturing going on here and from what the MD said, they have over 800 residents who are working directly here”.
On the environmental impact, he also expressed concerns but however, said he has been reassured by the Managing Director that the environmental impact assessment has shown that the company has adhered to the approved standard.
The Minister however, thanked the Zeberced Group for its decision to expand the access road to the Abuja Industrial Park, which is also being undertaken by the company at the Idu Industrial District and assured of continued support of the government.
“This is the same company that is trying to carry out an Industrial Park at Idu and which we are going to give all the necessary support”, he explained.
Earlier in his remark, the Managing Director, Zeberced Group, Ayden Adil Kurt, said the stone quarry has a production capacity of 3000 tons per hour.
