Nigerian lawmakers have set aside a whooping N37bn to renovate the National Assembly.
This is contained in the N2.5trn budgeted for capital projects by the Federal Capital Development Authority in the 2020 budget.
The legislative arm had also voted N100bn for constituency projects in the budget, while earmarking N1bn for the amendment of the 1999 constitution by lawmakers in 2020.
Defending the huge sum, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said some facilities in the National Assembly complex were old and needed to be replaced.
He said, “The phase one renovation will commence – the chambers and committee rooms in the white house.
“N37bn was sourced and was given. It was put under the FCT, not National Assembly. All we require is to have the complex renovated.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Rawlings Agada, National Assembly Director of Information, hinted that the money might not be enough for the required renovation.
He said, “The National Assembly needs a lot of work.
“I don’t think even that amount of money can take care of all those things because even the dome has been leaking and there is fear that if the repairs are not done, we might suffer greater problem in future.”
