SAMBO’s HOUSE NEEDS AN EXTRA N9BILLION TO BE COMPLETED

Vice President, Namadi Sambo

It seems the last has not been heard about the Vice president’s home. As if the N2bn earlier allocated to it in the 2013 FCTA’s budget was not enough, fillers have it now that it would need an additional N9bn

The most intriguing part of this is that the N9bn is needed to be sunk into the completion of the house for the provision of furniture, fencing, two protocol guest houses, a banquet hall and other security gadgets.

The senate committee on the Federal Capital Territory has rejected the plans to allow the FCT spend the N9bn but their reasons are appalling as far as I am concerned. I will take a quote from the statements made by Adeyemi Smart, Chairman of the senate committee. “The National Assembly is not going to appropriate additional N9bn for the project, especially at a period in this country when people cannot get a square meal”.

 “The N9bn is far more than the original cost of the project”.

“Fourteen billion Naira to me is huge for the Vice-President’s house. If you are even talking of N10bn that would be understandable”.

“The reality is that N14bn is indefensible and that is our submission. In Nigeria there are still many people with empty stomach. So we have to look at budgeting in relation to the needs of the people.”

My submissions/Questions

1.       That project should not have taken off without all the modalities situated.

2.       What is happening or going to happen to the former residence of the Vice President past and present?

3.       On a scale of preference in Nigeria, does the residence of the Vice president come tops?

4.       Is not it hi- time the National Assembly passed a law for the president and vice president to stay in a permanent abode?

5.       It is obvious that the senators do not see anything wrong with building new houses every now and then. They are concerned with how much is spent when none should be in the first place