Federal Government on Wednesday said the planned N2.2bn new Banquet Hall for the Presidential Villa was “absolutely a necessity” and was not in any way a duplication of the existing hall.
It described the deluge of criticisms that had surrounded last week’s announcement of theproject as “clear misconceptions and misunderstanding.”
Government’s position was madeknown to State House correspondents by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed.
Maku said it became necessary tobuild the new hall because the existing one was specially built for big national events like concerts that would attract about2,000 people.
The minister said the government had been encountering difficulties in getting appropriate space for thePresident to hold his live broadcasts to the nation.
He added that the new facility would serve as a mini multi-purpose hall.
He said, “Whenever Mr. President has a live programme to broadcast to the nation, he has to come to the cafeteria where refreshments are served to hold the programme because there is no space for that kind of live programmes.
“There has also been problems ingetting telephones to work in a situation where such programmes are phone-in ones.
“The existing banquet hall is for big events like concerts for about1,000 or 2,000 people.”
“There is absolutely no space. The President receives visitors in the First Lady’s Conference Room.The new hall is absolutely a necessity, it is not duplication. Events will still take place at the existing banquet hall.”
Muhammed said contrary to the news making the rounds, the new banquet hall was captured in the 2012 Budget.
“The FCT operates two budgets –the National Priority Budget and the FCT Statutory Budget. This project is captured in the statutory budget approved by the National Assembly. It is not true that it is an unbudgeted project,” he explained.
He explained that the new hall would be a multi-purpose hall that would have broadcast facilities for the President to address the nation and lounge for visiting heads of governments
http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-justifies-n2-2bn-aso-rock-party-hall/

The FG have been criticised heavily for wanting to construct a N2.2billion new banquet hall in Aso Rock. This report allows us to hear THE OTHER SIDE

Of course Nigerians require a better hall for presidential media chat.

In fact I suggest that they build a new television station and studio specifically for Presidential Media chat.

Demdem: Reasons still crappy and remains a waste. As big as Aso rock is with the presidential Villa, there is nothing they want to do there now that cant be accomodated. Its a waste of funds. Dressing up a pig wont stop making it a pig.

@Op, so u can qoute punch now eh

Lol..,I dont have the facts, but this clarification report coming from Punch was mostly like PAID for(SPONSORED).

i was among the first critics of the project when the fee was announced. but its good the government backed it with clarifications. this has was again showed how responsive the present administration is.

I was almost ran mad when I saw the first report about the construction of the new hall,but after another thought I just realized that it is necessary the President who is the number one man in the country should be very comfortable in carrying his duties,I think we are ripe to aquire the state of the art equipments,after all government come and go but the hall will remain and serve the desired purpose..

“Whenever Mr. President has a live
programme to broadcast to the nation, he has to
come to the cafeteria where refreshments are
served to hold the programme because there is
no space for that kind of live programmes.

“There has also been problems ingetting
telephones to work in a situation where such
programmes are phone-in ones.

“The existing banquet hall is for big events like
concerts for about1,000 or 2,000 people.”

“There is absolutely no space. The President
receives visitors in the First Lady’s Conference
Room.The new hall is absolutely a necessity, it is
not duplication.

RUBBISH REASONS.

Mediocrity and wastage at its best. The villa has had 6 occupants before GEJ and none of them saw the need to build a banquet hall to hold events and live broadcasts, even Abacha with all the profligate spending he is known for made do with what was on ground and a GEJ who gives the impression that he wants to be Frugal wants to build a hall for his Convenience.

The International Conference Centre is there for any national event and it isn't a must for presidents' to hold events at the villa.

Why should a space be reserved as the first lady's conference room and the president won't have a place to receive visitors? Na first lady we vote for? I also didn't know that its become a big deal to connect telephone lines at this age and time! Yeye dey smell.

SMH

Another diversion of public funds right before our very eyes...

Does any of these politicians have a conscience?

This unbridled greed is destroying the hopes and dreams of millions of people...and for what?

They steal all the money, and then what next?

My father always used to say " A rich man may build a mansion with a thousand rooms, but he can only sleep in one at a time"

[size=38pt]Jonathan's Destiny is to bankrupt Nigeria[/size]

Nigerians did not dislike the idea.
Of course, it is a neccessity.
But what have Nigeria achieved in the Media Chat that we make several complain and you dont listen to us?
Show sympathy on Nigerian.
Try to make her beta than the way you say her.