In a recent development concerning the Abuja metro rail project, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Barrister Nyesom Wike, disclosed that the Chinese company in charge, CCECC, initially demanded $129 million for the training of staff essential for managing crucial aspects of the metro line.

Speaking during a media interaction at his Abuja office, Wike highlighted the exorbitant demand, emphasizing his intervention in negotiating a considerable reduction in the proposed training cost.

Wike clarified, “CCECC had initially proposed a training program costing $129 million over 29 months, an agreement approved by the Federal Executive Council. However, upon scrutiny, I found it incredulous to allocate such a colossal sum for training. It seemed counterproductive, especially considering the project’s operational requirements.”

Expressing concern over potential project abandonment due to unreasonable costs, Wike asserted his stance in demanding a significant reduction from CCECC. “I refused to endorse such an exorbitant figure. It was either a compromise or abandoning the project altogether. Eventually, through negotiations, we managed to slash the training budget to $75 million.”

The Minister reiterated his commitment to ensuring fiscal prudence and efficiency in project execution, underscoring the need for judicious allocation of resources in national infrastructure endeavors.