13th February, 2016
The House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has decried the high number of uncompleted projects in the territory in spite of huge allocations for the projects.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Herman Hembe (APC-Benue) expressed his displeasure on Thursday in Abuja at the 2016 Priority Budget Defence of the FCT.
He listed the projects visited by the committee on oversight as: Gurara Falls Road, Lower Usman Dam, Vice President’s residence among others.
Hembe expressed dissatisfaction at the level of completions of the projects.
The chairman said it was outrageous that at the Vice President’s residence, a mosque that will house 12 people was put at N96 million, the chapel that will house 20 people will go for N86 million.
He added that the gate house cost N55 million and the ADCs residence will cost N288 million.
The chairman also queried why N2 billion would be used to erect structures for the Principal Officers of the National Assembly.
“The Vice President’s residence has been paid for 88 per cent; we are not comfortable with the projects. How can you spend N96 million on a mosque that takes 12 people and you are defending it.
“Why do you keep patronising people like Julius Berger who keep embarrassing us? “Hembe said.
Hembe said that priority should be given to the Abuja Rail Project due to the collapse of roads by the use of heavy duty trucks.
The committee said that N4 billion allocated in the 2016 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari as counterpart funding for the FCT Rail Project was too small.
The committee added that the money should be reviewed upwards to N24 billion to enable completion by December, 2016.
Members of the committee also queried why the FCT should have a debt profile of N100billion.
FCT Minister Mohammad Bello who spoke, said the territory needed the guidance of the committee on appropriate steps to take on the projects.
“Should they (the projects) continue as they are or should there be a review?
“We will leave it to the committee’s wisdom to guide the FCT and we will be guided by what you decide,’’ Bello added.