Buildings to be converted to guest houses, says minister

• Explains delay on Vice President’s residence

FOUR presiding officers of the National Assembly have rejected official houses being built for them by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Senate President David Mark, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha have cited insecurity and delay in the provision of infrastructure as the reasons for their action.

FCT Minister Bala Mohammed, who gave the hint at the weekend, disclosed that the authorities had consequently discontinued the construction of the N3 billion official houses by the construction giant, Julius Berger, at the Maitama Extension (renamed Goodlock Jonathan District) located behind the Lungi Military Barracks in the city centre.

The FCTA last year proposed to spend N1.5 billion on construction of the new official houses for the National Assembly’s presiding officers as well as another N1 billion for completion of the official residence of the vice president.

During the 2012 budget defence session before the House of Representatives Committee on FCT, Mohammed said the total cost of the project was N3.044 billion.

He said while N324 million was appropriated in 2011 for the new residences, only N146 million had been expended, leaving a balance of N178 million. He explained that for 2012, N1.5 billion would be required for the project.

Mohammed said that the National Assembly’s presiding officers that would benefit from the new residences were the Senate President and his deputy as well as the Speaker of the House and his deputy.

For the vice president’s residence, the minister said N2.452 billion was required to complete the project, which was already 66. 8 per cent completed last year.

Citing insecurity at their Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja, the minister in February 2011 told the parliament during a budget defence that four principal officers of the National Assembly would benefit from a new set of residential accommodation being planned by the FCTA at the Maitama Extension Area in Abuja.

His word: “The National Assembly is the highest democratic body we have apart from the Presidency. And the National Assembly complex at Apo has been sold out to the public. The place is being inhabited by all sorts of people. Leaving them there will expose them to the vagaries of the society. And anybody can be a principal officer; so whoever is there and you leave him there, you are not being fair to him.”

On why the government was embarking on the multi-billion naira project when the principal officers were already accommodated at the Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja, the minister had told the Sixth Assembly FCT Committee that the decision was predicated on the insecurity in Abuja and some parts of the country.

“Our decision is taken out of a sheer sense of responsibility. But with responsibility comes the issue of security, the issue of the latitude and leverage which officers holding certain offices must have.

“The National Assembly is the highest democratic body we have apart from the Presidency. And the National Assembly complex has been sold out to the public. The place is being inhabited by all sorts of people.

“We were there on inspection and so we cannot guarantee the safety and security of principal officers of the National Assembly who take decisions on very serious and sometimes critical issues that may impinge on the sensibilities, perception and feelings of others. We must, as a government, protect the principal officers of the National Assembly.

“Leaving them there will expose them to the vagaries of the society. And anybody can be a principal officer; so whoever is there and you leave him there, you are not being fair to him. That is why government decided that as a second tier of government, we will go to an area which is secure and safe for our principal officers to live”, the minister had said.

But fielding questions last weekend on the progress made so far on the project, the minister, represented by the FCDA Director of Public Building, Bernard Lot, said work had already begun on the project before the recent rejection of the area by the principal officers.

“You will recall that we had started that project, and there is a contractor carrying out the road work. You can actually access the place because the contractor has actually commenced work and has also done reasonably well on that.

“But that too was affected by budgetary provisions. You know government has dwindling resources, but there is an issue there because development is not taking place fast in that area. And so the principal officers of the National Assembly have said that they don’t want that place because of the current security situation in the country.

“Though it is behind the army barracks, we cannot isolate them there, and government in its own wisdom has said that since they don’t want it, the authorities have decided to convert the buildings to guest houses and scale down the initial cost of the project. That is what we are doing now. We are scaling down the cost of the project to serve as guest houses to the principal officers of the National Assembly.

“As for their new residences, you are all aware that we have already cleared a new site located in the Three Arms Zone in the Central Area. The President has already given his anticipatory approval and the contractor has been asked to commence work on the project,” he said.

On the vice president’s residence, the minister explained that paucity of funds in the 2012 budget was responsible for the delay in the completion of the project.

“For a whole year (2012), there was no budget for that project but under 2013, we had an appropriation and the contractor is working. We had a cause to seek a variation on the contract to implement the second phase of the project. But it was stood down on the grounds that no project will have a variation above 15 per cent.

“So, we are having an implementation strategy to ensure that we complete that project on time, including the very essential aspects of the work, including the holding, gatehouse, bedroom, storage, among others.

“The contract is ongoing and we are going to complete the contract while we leave the issue of furnishing. The issue of furnishing is part of the phase two of the project such as the banquet hall, guest houses, and some security installations which are very vital for the vice president to live in because of the current security situation in the FCT,” he said.

Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/national-news/135453-nass-presiding-officers-reject-n3b-official-residence

smh for naija...and ritardeen is saying der is no money to meet ASUU demands..

It is all good and well that they require official houses, however rejecting a huge financial project that is over 50% complete at this time Nigeria is going through a finical crunch and the on going face-off with ASUU, is ridiculous.

What is it and the Federal Government always building Houses for thee guys? the next set of lawmakers can just declare these houses 'unfit' for them and approve new set for themselves.

The Federal Government should just place them all in a collective place and install what ever security measure needed and anyone that does not like it should source for his/her "suitable" accommodation elsewhere at their own personal expenses. Every year there is a budget for houses for lawmakers, why wont ASUU insist on getting their own demands as well.

Now these hoses that has been rejected will now be rebuilt at whose expense? and the guest houses that the former will be converted to (as if we do not have enough guest houses already) who will stay their as they all prefer hotel and such.

The queen of England's house hold budget has been reduced over the years (she even brings in some revenue), here the Oga's @the top, are wasteful and what have they done to bring money into the coffers of the country?. and if i may ask what is wrong with their current residence? and the security threat that they are running away from, who are they leaving it for?

That's a good one by them. Some pple have to stand up against the rot in the system. I just hope they are sincere and are nt doing this for the image... 2015 might be their motive sha.

What re they saying

N3billion houses after hundreds of millions in salary and allowances.

Only we can save ourselves from this nonsense!
We cannot continue living like this, this is not democracy!

I say let's join ASUU and protest for our rights or depose every PDP element in the next election, that way they would sit-up

Monica Ogha - I Wish Sey.

Wetin I no go see 4 dis life e o
Wetin I no go hear 4 dis life e o
Story storyyyy, story storyyyy
Story storyyy, listen to my storyy

Mama dey hustle, day and night
Papa sey struggle, dey fight for right
If den make small money e go go like dat
By d time dem pay for light, everything go tight
Food no dey water no dey o
Dis kind of thing dey make person to want to go astray

Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
I say dis thing dis thing dey pain me
And I wish sey me I fit change am o
I say I wish sey me I fit change am o

You go read sotey ur head go swell
You go beg sotey ur mouth go swell
Ti omo ba lo ile-iwe to pari e o, oye ko nise lowo lopolopo(when a child goes to school nd graduates, there shud be lots of job for him/her)
Employer dey find people with experience
U no get job, how u go get experience(experience)
Our graduates dey ride okada o
After all d stress from akada(studying)
Dis kind of thing dey make person to want to go astray

Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
I say dis thing dis thing dey pain me
And I wish sey me I fit change am o
I say I wish sey me I fit change am o

Nd I everytime I think about the things wey dey happen For the life of my people
E dey make wanna break down and cry, breakdown and pray

Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
I say dis thing dis thing dey pain me
And I wish sey me I fit change am o
I say I wish sey me I fit change am o
Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
Dis thing dis thing dey pain me
I say dis thing dis thing dey pain me
And I wish sey me I fit change am o
I say I wish sey me I fit change am o

Its a sorry situation..... I opened this thread, hoping to read that the senate rejected the houses for humanitarian reasons, charity or some sort of good nurtured course.....

But once again, they have proven their gluttonous and insatiable greed. Did they not approve of the area before construction began? Slow Development of the area is just a farce to steal those houses built with tax payers money...... why is it that they are just realizing the area is unsafe after construction is in finishing stages... All the while clamoring for new constructions at locations of their choice.

A leader who cannot leave among his own people, isn't a leader at all....
For all I care, if Nigeria isn't safe for these over pampered gluttons, let them go construct their st..upid houses on mars and let us be.....

Someday, u'ld all pay....... You thwarted wicked conniving politicians!!!!!!

Owkay! We hear.

Rejected in property but accepted in bank account i guess

Rejecting N3b houses wen it is almost at its completion stage and millions of Nigerians are homeless and someone wit hat somewhere is busy thinkin abt 2015 election whc he wud certinally loose.
so wat hapnd to d houses they are living in now?
What is d probability dat de wnt still asked for a new houses come 2015?
What is d problem of our koni se afaani leaders wastin our resources?
Imagine convertin those houses to guest house, wch yeye guest en?
All of them wud certainly paid for these tru dia nose. Awon olee, barawoo banzaa
God is watchin you in 6D

Lies........Pple D Pple

Do they really need those houses?

Why were they given those houses in the 1st place?

Are they trying to be bribed?

What do they need it for?
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This is so disheartening...

Hundreds of millions of Nigerians lacks basic decent accommodations...

There are no locust buildings in Nigeria.

Why is it hard for them to build locust storey buildings with our monies ?

God punish all of them...

...we have already cleared a new site located in the Three Arms Zone in the Central Area. The President has already given his anticipatory approval and the contractor has been asked to commence work on the project

They rejected the house simply because they want it at Three Arms zone.

talk true:

They rejected the house simply because they want it at Three Arms zone.

What then happens if there is another security incident near there after construction is underway? Humm.. let me guess.... they convert the houses to guest houses again or better yet auction it off to themselves, and site another location for themselves again.

So adequate security is only suitable for their selves and families only every other citizen is "on your own"
Why dont they just relocate to Mars and leave us in peace.

Wetin concern me? Make dem mumu do sometin about dz strike,na house dem dey distribute.

I weep for my country!

royale11: smh for naija...and ritardeen is saying der is no money to meet ASUU demands..

Just my thoughts also!!!

:'

royale11: smh for naija...and ritardeen is saying der is no money to meet ASUU demands..

Useless con3!!!

And here we are with ASUU Strike......9ga Keep it Up!

Lets unite & kill all dis murdaphucckerzz 4God sake... Wtf!!!

Are u tired of staying at home? are you a graduate or an under graduate? Do u want to study abroad? Apply now by calling the numbers below..

I copied this from @MightyThor. . .

"Oga's @the top, are wasteful and what have they done to bring money into the coffers of the country?. and if i may ask what is wrong with their current residence? and the security threat that they are running away from,who are they leaving it for?"

. . . That's all I can for now

Nigeria, it is well. . .

just imagine

as long as these dogs and goats remain alive, we will never see nigeria move forward. all these militants, kidnappers and boko haram must unite now and kill off our politicians. we must kill these things for nigeria to move forward.

Bloody hypocrites,why did they allow them start the buildings in the first place

Afrocatalyst: That's a good one by them. Some pple have to stand up against the rot in the system. I just hope they are sincere and are nt doing this for the image... 2015 might be their motive sha.

Myself2: Bloody hypocrites,why did they allow them start the buildings in the first place

Did you read the post at all? Or was it too long for you?

Eh! And they'r saying there is no money 2 meet ASUU demand. Our leaders dnt hv d interest of dia masses at hrt. God wl help us.see money wey all dz senators dy chop

Boko haram una no dey see dis madmen go deal wit dem una go dey kil innocent pple mtcheee nonsense politician

Building them a quarters will reduce the cost of stupid furniture allowance and all that! That's why they kicked against it, nuttin else!

If there has to be a renovation every year, the govt will av to contract it out and renovation done accordingly, and respectively as regards any damages. But this won't allow them receive the senseless and unnecessary allowances every quarter and annually!