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Secret Reporters
Despite the humongous amount of money budgeted for the ongoing renovation of the National Assembly by the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government has earmarked fresh ten billion Naira (N10,000,000,000.00) for the recoloring of the National Assembly.
This development is contained in the amended 2022 supplementary budget which was exclusively obtained by SecretReporters.
It could be recalled that the former President Buhari administration appropriated N30.2bn for the renovation of the National Assembly in 2020, but the money was released in 2022 following Buhari’s approval.
As of March this year, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), said it has so far spent N19 billion out of the N30.2bn appropriated for the renovation of the National Assembly complex.
Executive Secretary FCDA, Engr Shehu Ahmad, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja.
Ahmad said, “The renovation of the 9th National Assembly contract was awarded at the cost of N30.2 billion in 2022 following President Buhari’s approval; the money was released in 2022.
“We have so far spent N19 billion naira on the renovation, which is expected to be completed in August 2023.”
The FCDA Secretary stated that the ongoing renovation, which commenced on April 16, 2022, will be completed in August 2023.
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He also said: “Infrastructure development is not a bane of Abuja alone, but a national problem. As it is, funding for infrastructure in Nigeria currently runs into trillions of naira, and Abuja, as we all know, gets funding for infrastructure projects from the national budget, which is not enough.
“That is why the FCT Administration is engaging the private sector through the land for infrastructure swap like we have in Gwagwa District, and we are looking at other Districts like Buru Shareti where we have received interest.”
The new N10 billion budgeted for the recoloring of the National Assembly is one of the numerous projects contained in the amended 2022 supplementary budget by the Tinubu administration.
The administration had earlier made the headlines for what many Nigerians tagged the ‘wrong reasons’ when it was revealed that it budgeted N70,000,000,000.00 for the purchase of vehicles and furniture for the 10th assembly. Concerned stakeholders had questioned what happened to the official vehicles and furniture used by the previous regime.
Since his inauguration on May 29, 2023, as the leader of Nigeria, Tinubu has been in the news over his policies that have continued to divide opinions among Nigerians.
For instance, the removal of the fuel subsidy, which has skyrocketed the prices of food items and aggravated the hardship in the nation, has continued to elicit mixed reactions across the African giant, especially on social media.
