By Ben Adoga,
Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi has warned that any further delay in the renovation of the National Assembly complex would be tantamount to a threat to democracy as legislative businesses of both chambers would be hampered.
Adeyemi charged the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA to expedite action and mobilise funds as well as manpower to complete the renovation work.
The federal lawmaker stated: “What matters to us is the January deadline. But more importantly to ensure you meet the deadline for the 10th Senate to start on a solid note. But from what I see I don’t see the feasibility, except you have a miracle to perform.
” None completion of this renovation to me is a threat to legislative duties and democracy. Because once National Assembly is not in existence, then, there is no democracy.” Adeyemi said.
Admitting that FCT was going through challenges of the influx of people, Senator Adeyemi advised FCTA to keep projecting into the future by expanding the infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing population; while he commended the Administration for its foresight in designing 565 capacity chamber that can accommodate both arms of the legislature.
“we have 109 members in Senate now. This may not always be the case, more creation of senatorial zones and more geopolitical zones may emerge in the next 10 to 20 years. Our concern is to leave this place better than we met it.”
Meanwhile, the FCDA has assured the National Assembly and Nigerians that it will expedite action on the completion of the renovation of the NASS complex.
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This assurance was given by Engr. Shehu Hadi, Executive Secretary, FCDA while conducting the senators round it’s projects in the FCT.
Hadi said the Administration has fully funded the contractor handling the phase one project, while processes for the second phase approval is in top gear.
Hadi explained that the FCTA and the CBN were in charge of facilitating the payment processes, hence, there was no cause for alarm.
Speaking on the scope of the work, the Executive Secretary, FCDA said the renovation involves the entire National Assembly complex, including the White House.
He said efforts has been made by the FCT Administration jointly with the technical team of the National Assembly to ensure that the daily renovation work and the legislative duties go unhindered.
“Knowing fully well that sessions are going on , we have made efforts on how we can as much as practicable make it seamless without disrupting the daily legislative conduct. ”
According to Hadi, plans have been concluded to host the presidential budget presentation of 2023 which is normally conducted in the green chamber in a temporary chamber.
” For the purpose of the 2023 presidential presentation, we have already stripped off all the two Chambers. A temporary chamber has to be prepared for both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
The Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai- Borno Corroborated the FCDA Executive Secretary’s position, that the FCT Administration would do everything possible to ensure the speedy completion of the renovation work without further delay.
Part of the ongoing renovation work includes the massive clean-up and expansion work, total overhauling of the internal and external structures, screeding of the wall with the target to give the structures a new facelift, furnishing with exclusively designed chairs and world-class interior decor.
