The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says
plans are underway to spend N15 billion for the construction of a new residence
for the nation’s vice-president.
Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory
(FCT), disclosed this on Wednesday when he appeared before a house of
representatives committee to defend the FCT N61.5 billion 2023 supplementary
budget.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu transmitted the N67
billion FCT supplementary budget to the national assembly, while seeking
accelerated approval.
Following the president’s request, the lower legislative
chamber quickly passed the bill for first and second reading.
Wike told the lawmakers that the construction of a new
residence for the vice-president was approved in 2010 by the federal executive
council (FEC) at the cost of N7 billion, but that the project was abandoned.
The minister said the current administration has opted to
initiate the construction of the project, and the contractor has revised the
cost to N15 billion.
Wike said an initial sum of N5 billion has been earmarked in
the FCT supplementary budget to get the project underway.
“The VP residence
that was awarded in 2010 at the cost of N7 billion was abandoned,” Wike said.
“It is embarrassing that a country of this nature cannot in
13 years, complete the VP’s residence. N7 billion, now the contractor is saying
well, we cannot continue to do it without review.
“Now they are saying N15 billion. We have taken it upon
ourselves to say that we will complete it and Mr. President will commission it
by May.”
However, the lawmakers questioned the minister on why he
plans to spend such an amount on building an edifice for the vice-president.
Responding, Wike said it is to give the vice-president a
“befitting residence”.
“The current residence was built by the military — the Aguda
house. The government then said look, we want to build a more befitting
residence for the vice-president, and that was in 2010,” he said.
“The contract was awarded at the cost of N7 billion. It is
just like what we are building for the presiding officers of the national
assembly — you can see that it has been abandoned because of no funding.
“We believe that we are going to incorporate it into our own
statutory budget. Let us finish it even if they don’t want to use it.
“We are not renovating. It is a new job that was approved in
2010. We are saying that we should be able to finish it and we will commission
it in May 2023.”
RENOVATION OF VP’S
OFFICE IN SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET
On November 8, President Bola Tinubu signed the 2023 N2.17
trillion supplementary budget into law.
In the 2023 supplementary appropriation Act, the federal
government allocated N2.5 billion for the renovation of the Aguda house.
Another N3 billion is earmarked in the 2023 supplementary
budget for the renovation of the vice-president’s residence in Lagos state.
The government also earmarked N4 billion for the
refurbishing of presidential residential quarters and an additional N4 billion
for the construction of an office complex within the state.
‘N2.8 BILLION FOR
PUBLICITY’
Wike said the sum of N2.8 billion will be spent on publicity
for the FCTA in the FCT supplementary budget.
“If you look at publicity and advert, N60 million was
appropriated but increased to N2.8 billion,” he said.
“Some people would ask, how come N2.8 billion? You use money
to make money. When I came on board, we realised that most people don’t pay
their ground rents.
“For instance, we published those applying for C of O of
mass housing estates. We have gotten presidential approval to decertify C of
O.”
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Wike, by the time those that appointed you will realise the kind of person you are, it will shock them the more. May be Abacha & Diezani will be tips of iceberg of corruption. In Rivers you bought forms for every political office holder in the state and now you feel bad that they are no more paying fiscal homages to you. You will be roundly disappointed. We cannot help but watch how clever you can be in the scheme of things. No body wins them all.
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