The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, final Tuesday revealed how the Nationwide Meeting was poorly renovated with the primary chamber missing amenities that have been out there within the previous chamber after N30billion spent.
The Senate just lately resumed plenary in its principal chamber after over two years of sitting in a brief listening to room.
The Federal Capital Growth Authority (FCDA) had in March 2021 reportedly awarded a N30 billion contract to rehabilitate important segments of the Nationwide Meeting advanced to an indigenous agency.
At Tuesday’s sitting, Ndume criticised the structural outlook, association of chairs, sound audio system and different tools within the chamber.
Ndume mentioned: “This isn’t a chamber; it is sort of a convention room. You’ll not even know that it’s me, Ndume that’s talking; so additionally, when the chief was talking.”
He additionally complained that digital voting units that have been out there within the previous chamber are not within the renovated chamber.
“There is no such thing as a voting machine right here, if we’re to vote electronically, the amenities should not there, however we had that beforehand.
“There is no such thing as a clock right here for senators to see the time. Okay, they’re making an attempt to point out me one and I’m in search of it, it’s not even clear. There was a giant one,” he mentioned.
Ndume additionally complained that microphones and sound audio system within the chamber weren’t audible.
“This can be a critical statement. In case you play again the file, you can’t establish Akpabio’s voice, it’s important to pay attention exhausting, however the audio is meant to be very clear,” he added.
However in a swift response, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, mentioned the management of the ninth Senate led by Senator Ahmad Lawan and the authorities of the FCDA needs to be blamed for the noticed lapses.
It’s a disgrace and embarrassment to Nigeria that N30billion, which could be judiciously utilised by some international locations to construct a brand new Nationwide Meeting Complicated with the state-of-the- artwork amenities, was wasted on poor renovation of Nigeria’s Nationwide Meeting.
Who will maintain the management of the ninth Senate and the FCDA to account for this embarrassment? When will the tradition of wasteful spending and unbridled corruption finish in Nigeria?
