Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called for a reduction in the cost of construction projects in the FCT, as he visited the Zeberced Limited Quarry, the biggest Quarry in West Africa, located in the Kubwa District of Abuja.
The Minister who 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, said he was impressed with the humongous scale of industrial activities at the quarry, including the production of gravel, stone dust, and asphalt amongst others commended the company for its efforts and commitment to the project.
Barr. Wike also said he was encouraged by the activities at the quarry and wondered why contractors still quoted exorbitant costs for construction projects in the FCT seeing as the essential raw materials were readily available at the quarry.
“The Managing Director has always invited me to come to see what they are doing at the factory which is the biggest quarry in West Africa. I’ve taken the opportunity to look at the environment and see what they are doing.
“That shows that ordinarily, the cost of construction ought not to be very expensive, particularly in the FCT. Apart from the equipment that is being imported that is used for this quarry, the raw material is available here and I wonder why contractors will be talking about the cost of aggregate as if these are imported. They are not imported. They are made here.
“So, I want to encourage this company. Amazingly, 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”.
The Minister who also expressed concerns over the environmental impact of the quarry, however, said the Managing Director has reassured that the company has adhered to the approved standard for the environmental impact assessment.
Barr. Wike further 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 a continued support of the government.
“This is the same company that is trying to carry out an Industrial Park at Idu and to which we are going to give all the necessary support.
“As of yesterday, I’ve sent out a letter to the Ministry of Finance on the tax credit to enable them to carry out the other one-way carriage to make it a double carriage, which is being done by Salini Construction Company.
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.
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