The FCDA’s Executive Secretary, Shehu Ahmad, acknowledged the development over the weekend while updating the media on the organisation’s efforts to deliver essential national infrastructure.

He asserted that the properties in question, which are located in Abuja’s diplomatic district, were designated for a replacement many years ago to make room for the Ring Road One interchange’s development on the busy Inner Southern Expressway.

Ahmad said replacement plots were offered at some of the new layouts, which the authority was developing at Guzape ll, to assuage the embassies affected by the major infrastructural project.

He noted that the issues had been resolved at the diplomatic level, with the affected missions accepting the offer of replacement plots to pave the way for the construction of an interchange on that section of road.

“We had some challenges with diplomatic plots. At Ring Road One, we were supposed to have an interchange there, but we had challenges there due to diplomatic plots.

“When you have an issue with an embassy, it is like having an issue with the government of that nation. There were a lot of diplomatic moves made to ensure the resolution, but we have replacement plots and they have indicated their readiness to accept this, and we will soon develop our interchange there,” Ahmad said.

National Assembly Director of Information, Dr. Rawlings Agada, said only the FCDA could speak on the renovation of the complex and the amount voted.

He said: “You know that the details of the budget bill are not out. So, speaking to you on it now would amount to jumping the gun. You should know that the Aso Rock Villa, the Judiciary, the Supreme Court and the Federal Secretariat are all tagged as special projects under the Federal Government. And the FCDA undertakes such projects on behalf of the Federal Government. If you ask me, I will tell you that you are asking the wrong person because it is FCDA that is in the picture of everything because that is their own budget and they should be speaking on what they want to renovate. We have made our proposal to them in terms of facility decay in the National Assembly which all of you are familiar with. The National Assembly needs a lot of work. I don’t think even that amount of money can take care of all those things because even the dome has been leaking and there is  fear that if the repairs are not done, we might suffer greater problem in the future. I think the leadership of the National Assembly took note of that pursuant to the concerns raised by the management. That is just that because I don’t have the details of the budget but I am aware that there is a lot that needs to be done. Over time, the National Assembly management has been squeezing from the little that comes their way to repair things but anything that deals with physical infrastructure in terms of major repairs is usually captured under the Federal Government budget and it is done by the FCDA. So we cannot speak on that now.  The details should come from them (FCDA).”