Members of the House of Representatives said that the planned project was inevitable at this time, explaining that the building was collapsing and therefore needed urgent attention.
The lawmakers, who are unperturbed by the criticisms that have so far trailed the approval of N37 billion for the renovation of National Assembly complex, spoke on the heels of the deafening public outcry against the approval which described the amount earmarked for the renovations as being too exorbitant and scandalous.
Recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari has already approved the release of the money contained in the budget of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) which oversees the maintenance of the edifice.
The complex, it was, learnt gulped N7 billion as a virgin structure, constructed some 20 years ago, but in 2019, N37 billion had been approved for its renovation.
The Nigerian public could be said to have seen the renovation project as a waste of national resources because the project is coming at a time other basic national infrastructures and appurtenances such as roads, and sectors such as Education, are in their dilapidated states and have never received such amount money in the nation’s annual fiscal plan in one fell swoop.
Aside from this, the federal government is presently seeking the endorsement of the National Assembly to borrow a whopping $29 billion abroad.
Most Nigerians are of the opinion that the money was too way much for the renovation of a single structure when poverty still reigns supreme in the land.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kalu representing Bende Federal constituency of Abia State (APC) felt disappointed that Nigerians were not in support of the renovations.
He said that the building was collapsing and needed urgent attention.
According to House spokesman, the legislative chambers, the toilet systems and the air conditioners in the offices were all in sham.
His words: “Look, this building is collapsing. It is collapsing. I am sure there are other things that need money. But also, where legislators make laws also need attention. Would you like the building to collapse on 360 people coming from 360 constituencies just because you are looking at the size of the money? We are not the one issuing the contract. The people who are going to issue the contract will know whether that amount it much or small, how of this amount that is going to be appropriated because we don’t know.
” “Usually, most of these projects get 30 to 40 per cent and then, it is tolled over the next year for completion. Some of the projects are rolled over for 3 years for completion. Some of them are done in phase 1, 2, 3 and 4. Why are we sounding as if we are going to the national purse to just carry money out of that?
“I am not the contractor but what I know is that that place is not functioning well and some places are leaking. Some facilities have failed. If you sit inside the chamber and look up, you will see where the watermarks are. Very soon, it will start cracking and you know there is no pillar holding that thing from the centre. They are all suspended by the side. It needs urgent attention yo avoid a calamitous situation. It needs urgent attention whether or not the amount is sufficient or adequate is not even my own concern. My own concern is it needs attention. Whether they use one or two Kobo to do it, the truth is that national assembly needs attention.
“The last time, people came for budget defence, they were using hand fan to fan themselves because they ACs have failed. Most of them who wanted to go to the toilet went to their private ministries to go to the toilet and come back because the toilets are not functioning. As I speak to you now, my ACs will not today and stop tomorrow. And when it works, it will be dripping water everywhere. The office I am occupying now is the third one I will be occupying because the first office had a smell from the toilet coming into my office. The second one had the same problem. So, when they flush the toilet, the smell welcomes into your room. Are we going to keep quiet until the whole building collapses?”
Recall that the Director of Information, National Assembly, Rawlings Agada, recently said that the sum was even a far cry from the needed amount to complete the work at the complex.
Agada, who said that in a chat with some journalists in Abuja, said the complex was in shambles, noting that the National Assembly dome had been leaking for many years.
His words: “That National Assembly needed a lot of work and 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 problems in the future.”
