By Ayo Kehinde
Nigerians have continued to register their disapproval of the N37bn meant for the renovation of the National Assembly complex since the President of the Senate broke the news and the Federal Government approved the amount.
Every inch the way the public clamour has been growing, mutating and expanding with every major developments, local or international that is rich enough to attract public attention and commentary since the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan broke the news at a press briefing with journalists in Abuja on Monday, December 16 and the request was eventually approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, at its meeting on December 18.
Local events such as the 70 birthday anniversary celebration of former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, which attracted elected and appointed dignitaries and far away occurrence like the impeachment of President of the United States, Donald Trump, by the House, became additional occasions for Nigerians to register their complaints on the N37bn renovation fund.
The disapprovals generally consider the fund huge and see it as a misplaced priority. They also come with suggestions for the application of the ‘misplaced’ amount : Education, police pay and welfare, road rehabilitation, hospital equipment and health, workers minimum wage and youth empowerment.
What appears to gall Nigerians is the fact that the N37bn, apart from been considered misplaced priority, is separate from the N128 billion allocated for the National Assembly in the 2020 budget. The amount is part of the budget of the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA, the caretaker agency.
Lawan told journalists in Abuja on Monday, December 16.
“We met the president and related the condition of the complex. The president responded and said he was going to renovate the complex. The phase one renovation will commence – the chambers and committee rooms in the white house.
“N37 billion was sourced and was given. It was put under the FCT, not national Assembly. All we required is to have the complex renovated.
“When we are through with phase 1, we will go to phase 2. It is not under the control of the National Assembly. The complex is a national asset and is for the FCDA to take care,” he said.
Since then, the complaint have continued to mount. The response on social media has been sharp, quick and in phases.
First Phase: When the news broke, the response was generally tepid:
Author, veteran journalist and human rights activist, Richard Akinnola 11 took to his Facebook wall, thus: “ I really cannot understand why this should be a priority when police is terribly underfunded. The IGP (Inspector General of Police) said two months ago that the N9 billion approved for overhaul this year is not even enough to fuel all operations vehicles for three months. Yet, we complain about police inefficiency but we refuse to fund it. What is the big deal about NASS “renovation” when police live in decrepit stations and barracks. This, to me is not only a misplaced priority but also a waste of resources”
Citizen Jacob Nnabuiko Nnome in a response during the congratulations from prominent and admiring Nigerians on ex-Governor Ajimobi 70 birthday, chipped in: “President Buhari approved 37bn for NASS renovation. Just look at how fast it took them to approve the money while it took them ages to get the minimum wage bill passed”
An ardent supporter of the President, Mr Uwana Sunday, for the first time in his many years of pro-government commentaries, was galled:
“N37bn to renovate the National Assmbly complex? And Buhari is set to approve it this scam. No! If he dates do it….”
A surprised Sola Seun Akioye responded to the post: “Your account has been hacked!”
Uwana protested: “ Yours is vehemently averse to that monthly earnings that are in millions. My support for Buhari has not extended to supporting madness. If Buhari approves this N37bn, I will conclude that he is in cahoot with them in this humongous malfeasance. Rubbish.”
Salisu Muhammed Achebe, a worker with Kano government is even more specific:
“Budget 2020: Education N42bn, Health N46 bn, National Assembly Renovation N37 bn, Nigeria! N37b can actually build the best cancer hospital in Africa and stop this made rush to India.”
Second Phase: Following Trump’s impeachment by 230 to 197 for abuse of power and by 229 to 198 for obstruction of Congress, the Nigerians refused to be distracted in their pursuit: Relentlessly, they continued to sustain the tempo of their complaint:
Akinnola again: “ I’m not bothered over Trump’s impeachment I’m not excited because e no concern me. What would excite me is to hear that NASS has decided to channel that N37bn renovation bazaar to renovate higher institutions and hospitals.”
Mr Afolabi Gambari, an editor-at –large with Opr News, waded in: “Some here would say ‘serves’ Donald Trump right for abusing his powers but defend NASS members for abusing their privileges. Don’t Hypocrites roll here?”
Then after Wednesday, December 19 when the Federal Executive Council, presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, approved the amount for the renovation, the reactions took a political tone:
Mr John Ndukauba, former Editor-In Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria, said:
“Haba our country! N37 billion to renovate a wing of the NASS! What would it cost to build a new NASS? Next Level!”
An author, communication expert and digital marketing teacher and programmer, March Oyinchi said in response to a story by THISAGE: “N500m to be spent by the World Bank on 30 communities in Kogi State, whereas NASS alone wants to spend N32bn for repairs?”
Afolabi simply said: “When they came groveling for votes, they said, “Your wish is our command”. When the voters say, “drop the N37bn idea”, they say, “No going back”. See life”
A colleague, Bunmi Awonaya replies: “Now our eyes are open”
Institutions and organizations have joined the fray too.
An anti-corruption and advocacy group, the Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP decried the idea of renovation as illegal and wasteful. Taking to its twitter handle, SERAP @SERAP Nigeria, it said: “The plan to spend N37 bn to ‘renovate’ the NASS is another elephant project. It is antithetical to the oath of office. We are suing to stop this wasteful and illegal spending”
For the Nigeria Employer’ Consultative Association, NECA, the amount and idea are hair brained.
Director-General, Mr Timothy Olawale, told a national newspaper in an interview that
“On the backdrop of the allocation of N37bn for the renovation of the National Assembly complex, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has expressed concern at the seeming misplaced priorities in government.”
He said there were better, social and economic projects lying to be funded to impact the well-being of the people than the ‘renovation’, that his group considered a misplaced priority.
“The Apapa Port road has remained impassable, the Agbara Industrial Estate road remained a death trap and the Lagos-Badagry road among other critical roads and infrastructure in the country is begging for attention,” as well as more allocations to education and road rehabilitation, among other pressing projects.
Unfazed by the growing national complaint, the federal lawmakers, buoyed up by the approval of the amount by the FEC, have berated Nigerians for their stand against the planned ‘renovation’
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Benjamin Kalu, told the Punch in an interview on Thursday: “It is not about the criticisms. The criticisms might not be well informed. The people criticising might not be well informed. The issue is that the National Assembly Complex is in a mess and there is the need for more facilities to deliver on the mandate that is given to us by the constitution.
“A particular agency presented to us a budget of about N340bn, an agency under an arm of government, not a ministry. We are an arm of government, bigger than any ministry or agency or department.
“Whenever the issue of money comes up, Nigerians attack the National Assembly forgetting that this is a full arm of government. We oversight N10.6tn, we need facilities, gadgets and other things to get the job done, and that is the truth.
“During the budget defence (sessions), you would find most of them (lawmakers) using hand fans because the central air-conditioning system is not working. People who come for public hearings go to their various offices to make use of the toilet and come back. The ACs are not working in some of the (committee) rooms and people use hand fans in a place like the National Assembly. Can you see that in Aso Rock (Presidential Villa)? Go to the ministries and see the kind of offices that they stay in.”
In fact, after the FEC meeting where the amount was approved, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Bala Muhammed, told State House correspondents in Abuja, said that the project, which would now gulp N40 bn, was under the Federal Government’s National Priority Programme.
He added that the project would involve the building of the third wing of the NASS and renovation of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“We are going to close down the two chambers of the National Assembly for a period of 12 months and we are lucky we have already provided large committee rooms that will be used during the period for the parliament to continue its work.
“The contract is for N40.2billion and it will take 40 months to complete”.
According to him contract for the project which is awarded to construction giants – Julius Berger – would involve the construction of a library, budget office, printing press, clinic, restaurants, banquet hall, places of worship and plenary hall (auditorium). Also, at the end of the project, the complex will be fitted with television/radio/press facilities, fitness room, administrative offices, technical rooms and meeting rooms.
As at the time of filing this report, the social media is still dominated by complaints from Nigerians calling on their representatives to scale down or reallocate the amount to what they considered better, more beneficial projects at a time of social and economic paralysis in the country.
Timing? May be.
