The Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee Considers Progress Report on Construction Works at the New Headquarters for ECOWAS Community Institutions in Abuja

The Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on the Construction of the New Headquarters of the ECOWAS Community Institutions met in Abuja on 12 April 2023 to consider and adopt the progress report of its expert committee on the construction works at the new ECOWAS building in Abuja. The meeting which took place at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria had in attendance members of the committee drawn from various Member States and officials of the ECOWAS Commission.

In her opening remarks, the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, H. E Mrs Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, thanked the Federal Republic of Nigeria for their gesture in granting waivers and exemptions for the building materials and equipment and the Peoples’ Republic of China for funding the construction project. Mrs Tchintchibidja urged the committee to thoroughly review the challenges that could impend the successful completion of the project with a view to solving them using diplomatic means.

The Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, Mr Sediko Douka, in his opening address, noted the contributions of the committee early in the conception/design stage of the construction project with one of their key recommendations being the engagement of a quality assurance firm. Commissioner Douka stated that the experts in the committee have always played a crucial role in the project actualization with the vital professional opinions reflected in the progress report. He reiterated the project timeline of twenty-six months given by the contractor for project completion and wished the committee fruitful deliberations.

The Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee who is also the Minister of Works and Public Assets of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Hon. Peter Bayuku Conteh, in his brief remarks, thanked the experts of the committee for doing thorough work by visiting the construction site and preparing a construction status update report which will be presented for adoption at this meeting. Mr Conteh encouraged all the members to work harmoniously towards ensuring that the Chinese contractor handling the project delivered on time and to the required standards. He expressed optimism that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, the community will have a modern and befitting work environment for the benefit of the citizenry of the region.

Among the committee’s recommendations are the need for a quarterly implementation progress report, the participation of the maintenance division in the construction work to facilitate knowledge transmission, and the Chinese contractor’s adherence to environmental, health, and safety laws.

The committee’s subsequent meeting is scheduled for October 2023.