Abuja — Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Aliyu Modibbo, told House of Representatives Committee on FCT on Thursday that President Umaru Yar'Adua slashed the budget for upgrading official residences of the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and his deputy, Usman Bayero Nafada, from N400 million to N200 million.

He, however, said he would seek the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the contract or to resume renovation works on November 19, if there was no objection from the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).

The committee, chaired by Atai Ali Aidoko, had on Wednesday summoned the Minister to explain why the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), a parastatal under the FCT, abandoned renovation works on the two houses. It had inspected the mansions and lamented the state of neglect.

Renovation works on the houses were abandoned last year following a scandal over N628 million contract awarded by former Speaker, Patricia Etteh.

Modibbo, in a paper he presented to the committee at a closed-door session, blamed the delay in resumption of works on the two houses on late passage of the FCT Budget by the National Assembly. The federal legislature passed the FCT Budget in August.

In the paper signed by Eni Ugot, Modibbo said the preliminary estimates of N400 million for the houses was completed and a memorandum forwarded to Yar'Adua for funding the projects on December 5, but the President directed that it should be reviewed on December 17.

He added that further review of the cost to N300,815,937.37 was done after which the Executive Secretary of the FCDA re-presented it to the President on January 15 this year.

"Subsequent further review of the projects put it at N200 million, and completion of preparation of relevant Tender Documents by the FCDA, approval was granted for advertisement of pre-qualification for contractors on April 21, 2008," he said.

The Minister stated that following placement of pre-qualification advertisement in Federal Tender's Journal, nine contractors submitted bids for upgrading of the Speaker's residence, while 12 submitted bids for that of his deputy.

He told the committee that five contractors were subsequently pre-qualified for each of the houses and that approval of recommendation of the Committee on Evaluation of Contractors qualified to tender for the projects was given on August 11.

Modibbo said the report of the Evaluation Committee, which was constituted last Monday, would be ready on October 27, while processing for no objection Certificate from the BPP for award of contract would begin next month.

According to the Minister, he would present the contract for upgrading of the two buildings at the FEC meeting on November 19 for approval.