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Senators Turn down N9 billion Extra’vaganza’ for VP’s House

By on December 7, 2012

 

The Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday refused to approve the additional N9bn expenditure budgeted for the Vice President Sambo’s residence under construction.

Refusing the request, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi said such amount of money to be spent on a house is not worth it, especially now that many Nigerians are hungry and cannot afford a meal.

Earlier the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Adamu Ismail told the lawmakers that the contract was awarded in 2009 for N7bn.

Adding, he said the additional N9bn needed was for furniture, fencing, two more protocol guesthouses, a banquet hall and security gadgets.

While explaining, Ismail said, the proposal was not contained in the original plan submitted to the contractor, Julius Berger Nig. Ltd.

Adeyemi said, “The National Assembly is not going to appropriate additional N9billion for the project, especially at a period in this country when people cannot get three square meals.

“The N9billion is far more than the original cost of the project.”

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Domingo Obende, on the other hand, called on the Executive Secretary to present the added scope of work for which the fund is vital to the committee for inspection.

Ismail said the proposed N9billion was cut down to N6billion by the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).

He said, “We have worked out the details and passed to BPP for consideration. They (BPP) have sent it back to us with their observation.

“We requested for N9billion but now it came to about N 6billion.”

To Adeyemi, the N14 billion is indefensible, “in view of present realities.”

He said, “Now you are asking us to approve a total sum of about N14 billion and this is just the Vice President’s residence.

“N14billion, to me, is huge for the Vice President’s house. If you are even talking of N10 billion that would be understandable.

“The reality is that N14 billion is indefensible and that is our submission. In Nigeria, there are still many people with empty stomach. So, we have to look at budgeting in relation to the needs of the people.”

Presently Vice President Sambo resides at the Aguda House, a building officially designated as Presidential guesthouses.

During the Yar’Adua presidency, President Goodluck Jonathan also stayed in the Aguda House when he was vice president.

Vice President Atiku Abubakar stayed in the house, which the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) currently occupies.

2 Comments

  1. omega

    December 7, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Our Leaders are not serious about fighting corruption.

  2. princewill

    December 7, 2012 at 11:33 am

    they are the corrupt