President Goodluck Jonathan has
turned down the request of the Federal Capital Territory Development
Authority (FCDA) to spend additional N9billion on the new official
residence of Vice-President Namadi Sambo,according to indications
yesterday in Abuja.
The President upheld the observation of
the Senator Smart Adeyemi-led Senate Committee on Federal Capital
Territory that the funds request was indefensible.
He also asked the Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, to keep the memo on
the variation of the project.
He said the Federal Executive Council
would not consider such a memo and urged the FCDA to give Sambo a
befitting official residence within the initial scope of the N7billion
vote for it.
The original contract sum for the VP’s
residence was N7billion, but a variation of N9billion was sought by FCDA
bringing the total cost to N16billion.
A review by the Bureau for Public
Procurement resulted in the reduction of the variation cost from
N9billion to N7billion making N14billion.
The Senate Committee on FCT, however,
said a N16billion or N14billion accommodation for the VP is indefensible
in a country where many cannot afford three square meals per day.
Investigation revealed that the
President took the decision at a Federal Executive Council meeting when
Mohammed wanted to table the memo.
It was learnt that the President told cabinet members that he would stick to his administration’s desire to cut cost.
It was gathered that Jonathan’s position
led to the new policy of the Federal Government stopping all
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from forwarding any project
variation and review beyond 15 per cent.
A highly-placed source, who spoke in
confidence, said: “The President has rejected the FCDA’s request for
additional N9billion for the VP’s residence. He said there is no way the
government could afford about 120 per cent variation.
“The President also directed the FCT
Minister to shelve plans to forward a memo to the Federal Executive
Council on the N9bilion variation.
“Jonathan said the decision was not personal. He said the directive affects any project involving his office.
“So, the VP’s residence will be executed within the available budget.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “I think the variation informed the new 15 per cent variation policy on contracts.”
It could not be immediately ascertained if the project could still be executed with the budget limit or not.
Another source added: “We may have to reduce the scope of work or the infrastructural facilities at the residence.
“You know, the VP is a man of simple
taste and he has no personal interest in the project. We can still get a
befitting accommodation for any sitting VP.
The Senate Committee on the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) had opposed additional N9billion expenditure on
Vice President Namadi Sambo’s official residence
The Chairman of the committee, Senator
Smart Adeyemi, had said: “The National Assembly is not going to
appropriate additional N9billion for the project, especially at a period
in this country where people cannot eat three square meals. The
N9billion is far more than the original cost of the project.
“In Nigeria, there are many people suffering. So we have to look at budgeting in relation to the needs of the people.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Good work from Senator Smart Adeyemi.Well done
ReplyDeletePatrick
God see all of you, be eating the money and keep suffering the mass. It is well, thank God GEJ refused this 1.
ReplyDelete#7B + #9B for house. He nor get house before. Are we moving forward or backward in this country.
ReplyDeletea whoping 9B billion for vp lodge and yet they cant spent ordinary 1b on nigeria universities.
ReplyDeleteCAN u imagine d kind iof country we into?
ReplyDelete#9b for just vp house while university students are at home for almost a month for implementation of what they agreed on.
My country NIGERIA
Senator I Have not eatenooo. House of sixteen billion naira stay here. Unemployed will bomb you all if you aPprov it.
ReplyDelete