By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The company handling the N9.3bn renovation project of the National Assembly Complex, Visible Construction Limited, yesterday explained that the current leakages being experienced in the nation’s apex legislative institution would stop soon.
The Project Engineer, Tajudeen Olanipekun, stated this in reaction to the leakages still being experienced in the White House Segment of the Complex.
The 9th National Assembly had as a result of the deterioration of the complex over the years, appropriated N30bn to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in the 2021 fiscal year for comprehensive renovation.
Visible Construction which won the contract, commenced work in April last year with the provision of temporary Hallow Chambers for both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Reacting to a report on roof leakage experienced recently at the Complex, Engineer Olanipekun said his firm was on top of the situation as specialised chemicals for the affected expansion joints, will soon be applied.
He said all the roofs of the complex both at the White House and adjourning structures, have been thoroughly checked for the discovery of expansion joints requiring water-tight chemicals that will prevent any form of leakages.
The chemical he added, had already been imported from the United States of America but would be applied after the rainy season this year.
He said, “The report on roof leakage in National Assembly to us at Visible Construction, is like marking script of a student still writing his or her examination.
“Renovation work on the entire complex is still being carried out by us. It is when we have finished the work that a report on roof leakage can be written which to us, would never happen as the problem, and would be a thing of the past by the time it is handed over to FCDA that gave us the job.
“There should be no cause for alarm from any quarters as regards the project since Engineers from FCDA are also with us,” he said.
He added that containers of State of the Art furniture to be fixed at both Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives had been received from America along with expatriates who would do the job, which according to him, would make the two Chambers among the best in the world.
Nigerians expressed shock in 2021 when the complex experienced massive leakages despite an alleged report that the Federal Government had released N27bn for its renovation in the 2020 Budget.
Former Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, later clarified that only N9.2bn was provided for renovation/retrofitting of the National Assembly (NASS) complex in the revised budget as against N27bn.
He further disclosed that “the initial provision of N37bn in the 2020 Appropriation Act for this was cut by 75 per cent due to the impact of COVID-19 on government revenues.”
Reacting to the outrage at the leaking roof, Lawan who spoke at plenary while ruling on a point of order raised on the matter by Senator Sabi Abdullahi, yesterday noted that those blaming the lawmakers were doing so in ignorance
