Saraki, Dogara reject N10b FCT official residence
• NASS budget slashed from N150b to N115b
• Lawmakers say it’s a sacrifice for Nigeria
The Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers have rejected the N10 billion proposed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in the 2016 budget for the construction of their official residences.
It was learnt at the weekend that the principal officers were all still living in rented accommodation in the territory.Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas who made the revelation in a statement yesterday said the Eighth Assembly “is very conscious and sensitive to the present economic woos bedeviling the country and has responded positively by making the much needed sacrifices. For example, President of the Senate Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, rejected N10 billion the Federal Capital Territory Administration proposed in the 2016 budget for building of official residences of Principal officers. They are all living in rented accommodation.
“The National Assembly, has also reduced its budget from N150 billion to N115 billion. Even though it is always erroneously and albeit mischievously insinuated that this money is shared among the 360 Reps and 109 senators. What is more tragic is the failure of intellectuals to realise that N150 billion some eight years ago is not the same amount now. Inflation has reduced that amount by over 50%.
“The truth is, there are agencies and bodies like National Assembly Service Commission, Public Complains Commission and National Institute for Legislative Studies that draw their funding from the N115 billion total allocation to National Assembly which represents less than 1.9 per cent of the over N6 trillion budget.”
Sundry issues including delay in the provision of infrastructure in the new official residence built by FCTA for National Assembly presiding officers at Maitama Extension (renamed Goodluck Jonathan District) forced then Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Senate president and Deputy Speaker during the Seventh Assembly to reject the quarters.
Then FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed disclosed that the construction of the N3 billion new official accommodation by construction giant, Julius Berger at the site located behind the Lungi Military Barrack in the city centre was discontinued.
In March Mohammed indicated that the then President of the Senate, David Mark, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha will not move into the new residence being built for presiding officers of the National Assembly at the Three Arms Zone before the completion of the Seventh Assembly in June 2015.
He disclosed that the new quarters being built by FCTA for the four presiding officers of the parliament will be ready for occupation after the inauguration of the Eighth Assembly.
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31 Comments
And the new cars?
you are very funny. dont mind them ooooo
So our legislator knows that inflation has eroded the value of Naira but they kick against reasonable minimum wages proposal. Selfish people.
I commend the action of Saraki and Dogara.
My brother, you’re so gullible. It is the likes of you that this gesture from people like Saraki (the face of corruption in Nigeria) can deceive.
This is a nation of shameless thieves an rogues, nigeria is going through a difficult transition, a difficult phase, yet these so called leaders “people in high places” still “bat” over irrelevant issues,while the masses are living in abject poverty and inhumane living conditions. It is so clear why most states can not afford the miserable minimum wage of NGN18000.
The government should simply allocate some of the seized properties to these greedy people and stop wasting money on renting or building new properties every year.
For real ?..
Obviously not, just playing to the gallery.
it’s doublespeak and camouflage with issues not far from illusion.
Well done. Right step in right direction
In the fall-out to Thursday’s court ruling this is a gesture of goodwill to win back quite a few. Others will not be fooled.
Commendable indeed.
Reject N10b openly…then covert N30b secretly. Perfect Nigerian story.
What we weren’t told is the cost of the rented apartment annually and how much it will amount to for the period of their 4 yrs term.
I think is cheaper for the construction of their official residence rather than renting
Thieves. THIEVES IN THE SENATE. What of the N340 BILLION NAIRA that Saraki and Dogara stole???
Its not a sacrifice if we dont know how much rent the govt. pays.Its possible that the rent is even bigger that this 10 billion.
Does Nigeria build new house for each new Senate President?
FCTA should concentrate their effort to build low cost housing for the people of FCT and provide other relevant social amenities for the residents. Stop spending much on government officials while the masses are suffering. God bless Nigeria
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Does Nigeria build a new house for each Senate President and Speaker? Shameless!
Where did the former principal officers of the national assembly live?
ROGUES!!!!!!. What happened to the previously built accommodation for those offices, that have been cornered by the likes of David Mark and co. Who owns the rented accommodation and how much does it cost the tax payers?
The only tax payers in Nigeria are those in paid employment. Over 90% of the money being stolen are oil money, so nobody cares. In countries where over 50% of all adults pay taxes, you dare not mess with their money.
So, the National Assembly and appendage parastatals alone – with a total population of less than 5000 people – is gulping 2% of the nation’s budget!!! Haba! No wonder they wangle themselves in at all cost!
For heaven’s sake, and to make resources available for capital projects and development, this arm of government shouldn’t be allocated more than 0.1% of the budget. And I say that with all sense of responsibility. God, please help us be able to write into the Constitution something like this “.. a maximum of 0.1% of the budget shall be allocated to the national/state assemblies, as the case may be.”
Dear Almighty, kindly facilitate this. Amen.
P34c3
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This is the key point people keep missing. Abdulrazak Namdas has the guts to say it is just 1.9% of the budget and I just cringed because I am not sure he knows the meaning and impact of about 2% of a nation’s budget being spent on less than 0.0009% of the Nigeria’s 170million population (assuming we use 1500 as direct beneficiaries of this 2%). This is the kind of questions and analysis Nigerians should be doing before letting this Senators and Reps bamboozle us with their uninformed thoughts.
What more can one say? I respect the very brilliant opinions expressed here. I believe in Nigerians being wise and well informed. Good points are made here.
So, on the face of the title of this article; what happens next – to discard it and re-design it or what; sell it to their friends or Associate Company and build another to ‘their taste’, folks? ‘Course they went to see President Obama at the White House in the U.S., it is not unlikely that they are aiming if they can get that kind or at least something near the kind of Edifice in the US. to befit their status – one reason they will do anything to remain in the position in Nigerian – obviously part of the problems – over 10 Billion Naira House and you cannot pay pittance to your workers so that they can manage and pay mortgage for your so-called low cost housing! We were told years back about how one of the Residences was bought by Speaker Bankole in his wife’s name and he rented it back to Nigeria – who knows what the position of the House is whether recovered or still his wife’s property, folks? Look somebody needs to clean out the ‘filthy stables’ in Nigeria that is, if you want to develop as the Kwara State Governor is wishing but not seen working for such development or growth,,folks
Afraid of bugs and satellites listening in?
Good questions from Femi Abi, all wasteful spending. What happened to the official quarters of the seven previous leaders of the assembly? sold to the officers at cheap prices so that they can get richer? God de. Buhari should look at more places in the anti-corruption crusade.
We will review and take appropriate action.