Disquiet as N/Assembly renovation remains mirage despite billions

Despite billions voted for the renovation of the National Assembly Complex, the edifice has remained in a deteriorating condition raising concerns among lawmakers and Nigerians, Daily Trust reports.

There has been disquiet among federal lawmakers over the infrastructural decay and fast deterioration of the National Assembly Complex which houses both the Senate and the House of Representatives despite billions of naira voted for its renovation.

There are worries that the need to have the complex renovated to provide a conducive environment for legislative business for the lawmakers may continue to remain a mirage.

Lawmakers on various occasions have voiced concerns over the deteriorating condition of the national edifice which, they say, now poses a threat to their lives and making legislative business difficult for them.

A telltale of the deteriorating infrastructure and facilities at the National Assembly played out again at the plenary of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 12, when a lawmaker cried out that they were suffocating due to dysfunctional air conditioning systems at the Green Chamber.

A lawmaker, Haruna Dederi (APC, Kano) had through a point of order raised alarm over the inclement condition of the chamber, asking the Speaker to ensure something was done to make the place conducive for legislative business.

Contributing, Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Toby Okechukwu told the Speaker that besides the issue of inclement weather and dysfunctional air conditioning systems, the House is also challenged infrastructurally.

Responding to the Point of Order raised by Dederi, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was a good point, saying, he had just conferred with his deputy on the same matter.

N/Assembly leaking despite billions voted for maintenance

Earlier in June this year, activities at the lower and upper chambers of the National Assembly were disrupted following a flood incident and leakages that occurred at the parliament building.

The lobby of the National Assembly was flooded due to the leaking roof of the White House, which houses the two chambers.

Many have described the incident as a “national embarrassment”, despite billions of naira voted for the general maintenance of the National Assembly complex over the years.

The maintenance is handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), an agency under the FCT.

In 2019, there was public outrage over the approval of N37 billion for the renovation of the National Assembly.

In the 2021 Appropriation, the federal lawmakers also increased their budget to N134 billion, an increase of N6 billion to the N128 billion proposed for the National Assembly. Out of the sum, N9.134 billion was earmarked for general service.

Findings by Daily Trust showed that over four months after the leaking roof incident, nothing has been done by the FCDA to fix the National Assembly Complex.

Many had thought that the much-needed renovation on the complex would have been done during the two months’ recess embarked upon by the lawmakers between July and August, but that did not happen.

FCDA mum

Efforts to get the reaction of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) proved abortive as the agency’s spokesman, Richard Ndoo, did respond to calls and messages sent to him on the matter.