ABOUTN3 billion has been proposed bythe Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on the construction of new official residences for National Assembly presiding officers just as it has proposed N1 billion for the completion of the official residence of the Vice President.This is just as the administration is set to secure a loan of $500 million from the Chinese-Exim Bank for the completion of the Abuja light rail project that is at 20-25 per cent completion.FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed who disclosed this yesterday at a budget defence session with the House of Representatives committee on FCT, said the total cost of the project is N3.044 billion. He said while N324 million was appropriated in 2011 for the new residences, only N146 million has been expended, leaving a balance of N178 million. He explained that for 2012, N1.5 billion would be required for the project.According to Senator Mohammed, the National Assembly presiding officers who are to benefit from the new residences are the Senate President and his Deputy as well as the Speaker of the House and his Deputy.For the Vice President's residence, the minister said the sum of N2.452 billion is required to complete the project that is 66.8 per cent completed.On the Abuja light rail project, Mohammed said: 'It is my hope that with the efforts being put in place to secure the $500 million Chinese-Exim bank loan, the project would be completed in 2014 or even earlier.'The minister explained that the FCT proposed to spend a total of N401.236 billion in the 2012 fiscal year.'However, due to other government competing fiscal challenges, a ceiling of N49.2 billion was given to the FCT which was further reviewed to N46 billion,' he added.He further explained that the shortfall in the budget would be taken care of through private sector initiatives.In response, Chairman of the House FCT committee, Emmanuel Jime directed the minister to furnish the House with details of the proposed budget particularly the construction of the new houses for National Assembly presiding officers.Citing insecurity at their current Apo Legislative Quarters residence in Abuja, the FCT Minister in February last year, told the parliament at a budget defence that four principal officers of the National Assembly are to benefit from a new set of residential accommodation being planned by FCTA at the Maitama Extension Area in Abuja.His word: 'The National Assembly is the highest democratic body we have apart from the Presidency. And the National Assembly complex at Apo has been sold out to the public. The place is being inhabited by all sorts of people.Leaving them there will expose them to the vagaries of the society. And anybody can be a principal officer, so whoever is there and you live him there, you are not being fair to him.'At his budget presentation yesterday, the minister said: 'The sum of N324, 084, 963.00 was appropriated for this project in the year 2011 with an actual expenditure of the sun of N146, 036, 663.65 leaving a balance on appropriation of the sum of N178, 049, 299.35. For the 2012, a proposal of the sum of N1, 500, 000, 000.00 has been made. The project is at the mobilisation stage. The total project cost is N3, 044, 675, 974.54
Click here to read full news..
