By Ben Ogbemudia
The immediate-past Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr. Patrick Giwa, has said the N37bn meant for the renovation of the National Assembly in the 2020 budget is still with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

President Muhammadu Buhari had in December 2019 approved N37bn for the renovation of the National Assembly complex, but the complex had yet to be renovated.

Reports about the leaking roof of the Green Chambers of the National Assembly topped discourse recently.

The money was part of the 2020 budget of the FCDA, the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, confirmed recently in an interaction with journalists in Abuja.

However, Giwa, in an exclusive interview with ThisNigeria said he was surprised that work has yet to commence in the complex.

When asked what happened to the funds requested for the renovation in the 2019 budget, Giwa said, “Well, I wouldn’t know what happened, but I know the National Assembly and I am very concerned about the state of the disrepair, particularly the chamber and that it could drop at any time. It was based on that request was made in 2019.

“What people don’t know is that National Assembly is not in charge of the maintenance of its complex, it is the FCDA that is in charge of many government institutions, including the National Assembly and that fund was domiciled with the FCDA.

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“And I Remember on one or two occasions when I was in a delegation to the FCDA with the Permanent Secretary on how the work should commence because of the serious dilapidation in the National Assembly.

“I also attended one or two meetings where the National Assembly was called to form the committees on how the work would be carried out before I left there and nothing has happened. I am surprised that until now the renovation has not commenced.”

Giwa, who was Clerk for two years before his retirement in March 2021, could, however, not confirm when the money was released.

“Well, I cannot say how much, I wouldn’t know even if they were released, but I am surprised that government will not use the money for something very serious,” he said.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Services, Senator Sani Musa, had two weeks ago while addressing journalists expressed concern over the leaking roof.

He blamed the FCDA for the deteriorating state of the complex.

“The National Assembly has leaked to the extent that the entrances to the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives are always flooded anytime it rains.

“The flooding has also affected the area where journalists are stationed in the edifice and as a result, plenary for the day is always delayed or called off. Yet the huge sum of money is appropriated annually for the maintenance of the edifice, a development that is making Nigerians ask questions,” he said.

When asked why the legislators allowed the facilities and infrastructure to deteriorate to this level without taking action, Sani said, “At the National Assembly, it is not just the roof that is in a state of dilapidation. A visit to this national monument reveals that virtually all the facilities, services, and supporting infrastructure are in varying states of decay.

“The walls are cracking; the paint washing off, and many other facilities have broken down. The dome of the National Assembly which can be viewed from afar and which symbolises the authority of the legislature in our democratic government is in a sorry state.

“Oftentimes, we hear the lawmakers talk about their welfare and the need to improve it. Sadly, that is not the case with the building housing them. We have not heard them complain about the state of the structure.

“The National Assembly should take this incident as a wake-up call to put its house in order, especially as regards the poor state of its working environment. It is ironic that while it makes laws for the good governance of the country and performs oversight functions on how agencies under the executive arm of government conduct their businesses, the National Assembly has not found it necessary to do the same diligence on its official working environment.

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“This is, to say the least, not just gross negligence of duty but a regrettable example of misplacement of priority which the National Assembly would do well to rectify going forward,” he said.