Buhari happy with centenary city project

The presidency on Friday welcomed an assurance from Centenary City Plc that all the original inhabitants of the site have been fully compensated.

Speaking after being briefed by Abdulsalami Abubakar, chairman of the company’s board of directors and members of its management team, Buhari praised the Centenary City’s main development partners from the United Arab Emirates for having enough confidence in Nigeria to agree to invest about $18.5 billion in the project.

According to Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, Buhari also welcomed the assertion by Abubakar and his team that the project would create about 250,000 more direct jobs in the federal capital territory and about half a million indirect jobs.

The president observed that skills, expertise and vast experience that would be brought into country to build the Centenary City on the Dubai model, would also be of immense benefit to Nigeria’s overall development.

He said that he looked forward to regular updates on the Centenary City’s development.

Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, who was also present at the briefing, said that the issue of the rights of the original inhabitants of the site acquired for the Centenary City had been of concern to the present administration.

“We are glad that it is being handled,” he said while welcoming the assurance that compensation had been paid to those who would be displaced by the project and that the issue of their relocation was being addressed.

Abubakar and the management of the Centenary City also told Buhari and Osinbajo that the project would be totally private sector driven.

The Centenary City project has sparked controversy recently over an allegation by Cairo Ojougboh, national vice-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) south-south, that Anyim Pius Anyim, former secretary to government of the federation, mismanaged N1 billion meant for the project.

Ojougboh had petitioned Buhari on the matter, and it is believed that the summoning of Abubakar was to clear the air.

It now appears that the project is “private-funded”.