The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) is to spent N400 million for a structural overhaul and remodeling of its headquarters in Lafia, a property donated by the Nasarawa State Government.
Speaking in Lafia on Wednesday during the official handover to the contractor, NCDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said that the project is expected to be completed within 16 weeks to accommodate newly recruited staff.
Dr. Tsenyil urged the contractors to stick strictly to schedule and maintain high standards, warning that management would reject any substandard work.
”We do not have the luxury of time. The funding is available, so there is no excuse for delays. Charity begins at home. If our headquarters is poorly built, it sets a bad precedent for our regional projects. We will engage external oversight bodies to continuously inspect the work against the Bill of Quantities and design specifications.”
Dr. Tsenyil explained that NCDC’s first 12 months were deliberately focused on building a solid foundation through stakeholder consultations and strategic partnerships.
The MD revealed that the NCDC has completed her visits across the six North Central States to secure local buy-in, with only the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) remaining.
He further stated that high-level engagements have been finalised with key international development partners including the World Bank, European Union, and United Nations as well as federal agencies such as SMEDAN, NIRSAL and the Ministry of Solid Minerals.
According to him, the strategic efforts will culminate in the hosting of the first North Central Stakeholders Summit, scheduled to hold on September 14 and 15.
He noted that the summit will bring together regional leaders, policymakers, and development partners to unveil and review the commission’s flagship 20-Year Development Roadmap for the North Central region.
Dr. Tsenyil expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing and funding the commission, describing it as the realisation of a long-standing demand by the people of the region.
”I wish to use this opportunity to express our profound gratitude, first to the President and Commander-in-Chief of this great country, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for accepting and creating this commission.
“The North Central Development Commission is one of the newly created commissions in the country, and it has been the yearning of indigenes of the North Central geopolitical region. It has come to fruition, so we thank him immensely for creating and funding this commission for us to take off adequately,” Dr Tsenyil stated.
He also thanked Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, for donating the facility and providing temporary office space over the past year.
Detailing the project’s technical scope, the Executive Director of Projects, Princess Atika Ajanah, noted that the revamp will turn the complex into a fully autonomous hub.
”Previously, we shared boundaries with the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), but this project will establish complete demarcation and dedicated perimeter security.
“The building, which previously housed over 160 personnel, is being redesigned to comfortably accommodate over 100 staff across all five directorates and executive offices,”she said.
On his part, Engr. Jim Jibril, Site Engineer for Geodata Construction, while assuring prompt delivery, confirmed that heavy equipments are already been moved to the site.
He promised that the team would deliver a fully transformed, modern administrative complex within the 15 to 16-week timeline.
