Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, has said that their partnership with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in the building of a new Armed Forces Complex was deliberate and that the present complex has become inadequate.
General Musa stated this at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new complex, located at Asokoro, Abuja, on Thursday.
According to the CDS, “Partnering with Julius Berger was deliberate; a new Armed Forces Complex became necessary for some reasons. The current Armed Forces Complex in Area 10, Garki, was meant to be a temporary location of the Services, that is, the Army, Air Force and the Navy. But it has become largely inadequate. So, a new complex has been designed to tackle this unique challenge,” he said.
The location of the new complex, he said, is unique with the surrounding Mpape and Asokoro Rocks in the area, and that the features will present a large measure of security, among others.
He said, “We engage Julius Berger to do this job not just because they come highly recommended, but because Julius Berger has the track record of performance and to deliver on schedule like they have done very efficiently in similar projects of sensitive nature in record time.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who performed the groundbreaking, praised the military for the foresight on the project.
The President said the project will do the Armed Forces a lot of good, including enhancing the resilience of the military and the relentlessness with which they have continued to prosecute the insurgency war.
He encouraged them further, saying “You never lost any war before. You will win this war.”
Challenging the stakeholders on the new Armed Forces Complex, the President said, “the first phase of the complex must start immediately. It must be completed by the end of my administration.”
The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Engr. Peer Lubasch, commended the President for approving the project.
He said, “Julius Berger is deeply honoured to be the contractor of choice for this iconic project. For 60 years, we have been entrusted with the construction of priority infrastructure in Nigeria. And for 60 years, we have delivered reliably, with highest integrity and professionalism.
ith the continued support of our esteemed clients and stakeholders, we are confident that Julius Berger will exceed expectations in constructing the New Armed Forces Headquarters Complex that stands as a symbol of national pride and strength.”
Praising the President’s commitment to advancing the operational capacity of the Armed Forces, Lubasch said, it is exemplary and reflects a deep sense of patriotism,” adding, “your leadership has been instrumental to this project, and we are grateful for the vital role you hold in its success.”
He lauded the President for his actions in the fight against insecurity in the country, among others like reforming the Forex-market, increasing minimum wage and ensuring critical infrastructure which are no doubt enablers of socio-economic advancement.
“We congratulate you on these continued successes and commend your approval of this landmark project. I also wish to express my deep appreciation to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR, for his unwavering dedication and tireless efforts in driving this project to realisation,” Lubasch said.
He assured Tinubu, the Armed Forces and Nigeria that the new Armed Forces Headquarters Complex will be constructed to the highest standards, to support the complex and dynamic security requirements of a rapidly developing nation.
The project is designed with four buildings of a total gross floor area of more than 100,000 m², including offices, meeting rooms, operational centres, libraries, gyms, canteens and additional specialised services and facilities, to accommodate about 3,000 personnel. All structures are inter-connected for improved communication.
In addition, the development will also feature a 1,500-capacity conference hall.
The overall infrastructure will be modern and state of the art; tailored to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the Armed Forces as they fulfil their mission to protect the nation.
Top Nigerians that witnessed the event include Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Information Minister, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Mohammed Idris Malagi, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, and Heads of other security and Intelligence communities, among others.
Team Julius Berger to the historic ceremony was led by Lubasch. Others were Alhaji Abdulaziz Kaita, Oliver Berger, Poul Nielson, James Agama, Johnny Houcha and Salim Haidas, among others.
Bennett Oghifo
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