Zik’s Mausoleum: 75 per cent completed

Construction work on the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe’s Mausoleum in Onitsha, Anambra is now 75 percent completed and will be delivered in October, the contractor has said.

Mr. John Ameh, Project Manager, Bouygues Construction Nigeria Limited, (BNL) handling the construction gave the assurance in Onitsha on Monday.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, had during an inspection of the project in May, ordered the contractor to ensure completion of the project before the end of October.

The minister had expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work and threatened to revoke the contract if the contractor failed to deliver.

When news correspondents visited the site, installations of window glasses, molding of the bronze for Zik’s tomb as well as the construction of frontal fence were in progress.

“We are working towards completing the projects in October. When you look at the work holistically, we have done up to about 75 percent.

“Currently, we have almost finished the window installations in the mausoleum; we have also finished the tiling of the inside and outside of the mausoleum.

“We are installing the windows and doors for the administrative blocks; all materials for these are on site.

“For the mechanical, electrical and plumbing works, we have done about 85 percent and we have also finished the granite laying and tiling of the administrative block,” Ameh said.

The project manager said work on the grass planting and other landscaping activities were already 70 percent completed.

“Nigerians and, particularly, those in the Southeast should expect Zik’s Mausoleum to be delivered in October,” Ameh said.

An official of the Federal Ministry of Housing, who pleaded anonymity, said the project was initially awarded to a local contractor in 2012 but was later handed to BNL in 2014.

“The project cost then to BNL was about N1.4 billion; this was to complete the project but due to the non-provision of fund in the budget, BNL was not able to continue.

“The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari then looked into the project and added things like the frontal fence, gate-house and total landscaping of the mausoleum and administrative building.

“After the review, the Federal Government released almost all the contract sum which stood at about N1.9 billion to BNL to ensure early completion,” the source said.