Lawmakers have included an extra N30 billion for the National Assembly Complex’s refurbishment in the 2024 Appropriations Bill.
This amount is a portion of the N344.85 billion budgeted for the National Assembly, which is an increase over the N197.93 billion originally allotted.
On January 1, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave his signature to this legislative budget.
The additional N30 billion brings the total cost of the renovation to N60 billion.
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On June 30, 2023, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who is also the President of the National Assembly, declared that Tinubu will launch the current projects, which amount to N30 billion, in December of the same year.
The renovations were originally scheduled to be finished in August 2022, but due to delays, that date was moved to January 2023 and then to December 2023.
The remodelling of the National Assembly Complex is still ongoing as of January 2024, and not much work has been done there.
Tajudeen Olanipekun, the site engineer, explained the delays during a recent visit by the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory. He said the delays were caused by variations in the value of the naira against the US dollar, which made it difficult to import equipment and materials.
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He also mentioned the FCDA’s need for more funding. Visible Construction Company, a construction company, expressed frustration in the meantime, highlighting how the project’s timely completion is being hampered by the funds’ delayed release.
The renovation is still under progress even though Federal Capital Development Agency Head of Public Relations Richard Nduul revealed in June that N19 billion had been given to the building business.
He said, “I would like to refer you to a recent press briefing by the Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, just about three weeks ago, where disclosed that so far about N19bn has been expended out of the sum of N30bn being the cost of the contract awarded in 2021 to Messrs Visible Construction Nigeria Limited with a completion date of August 2023.
“This project when completed, will bring the Complex to the status of a world-class parliamentary building that will ensure both the comfort, convenience and functionality of the complex,” Nduul added.
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But Nduul told Punch’s correspondent he was on sick leave when he tried to get in touch with him for an update on the project’s cost.
“Please call back on Monday so that I can get the records from the concerned department,” he said, requesting a callback from the relevant department on Monday.
In a similar vein, our reporter attempted to contact Olanipekun, the site engineer, to inquire about the sum paid; however, he refused to take calls and even blocked our correspondent, obstructing any further attempts at communication.
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