The leadership of the House of Representatives on Thursday summoned the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) and other officials over the prolonged closure of the main gate leading to the Complex.
The summon was issued by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu in response to the motion under Matter of Privilege sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Hon. Sada Soli.
In his lead debate, Hon. Soli who cited Order 3 Rule 3 of the House of Representatives Standing Rules, noted that access to attend sitting in the House of Representatives chamber by the 360 members of the 10th Assembly.
He lamented that National Assembly members are having heinous challenges to access the complex as a result of the closure of the main gate which has been under construction for over a year.
Hon. Soli lamented that members who come into the National Assembly through the Villa (State House) gate are subjected to a series of security checks on daily basis “without decorum” in their quest to avoid the long queue within the National Assembly annexe gate.
He disclosed that a times the gate leading to the Complex is locked thereby endangering the lives of Members.
While arguing that members’ lives are under threat by joining the long queue in the bid to gain entrance into the complex, expressed concern why the National Assembly main entrance gate remains closed, long after the construction has been finished.
To this end, he urged National Assembly management to ensure that the main entrance gate is opened henceforth to ease the stress that members are being subjected to.
He said: “In an event when there is an emergency, what do we do?”
In his remarks, Hon. Kalu who presides over the plenary, commended the sponsor of the motion, saying the observation was important because it bothers the safety of Parliamentarians and thousands of workers as well as visitors who throng into the complex on daily basis.
To this, he ruled that: “the Chairman and Secretary of the Estate and Works, Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) should meet privately with the leadership of the House at the Deputy Speaker’s office by 5 o’clock.”
Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that the newly constructed main gate was part of over N30.2 billion contract awarded for the renovation of the National Assembly Complex and handed over to the Contractor in August 2022.
Recall that the Director of Management Services, Woke Young had in an internal Circular with Reference No: NASS/HR/MGT/1Q/94 dated 8th August, 2022 announced the handing over of the Chambers.
The Internal Circular titled: ‘Re: Rehabilitation of National Assembly complex phase 1/Handing over of House of Representatives chamber, was addressed to all the Staff.
It reads: “As you are aware, the rehabilitation of the National Assembly Complex Phase 1 is ongoing.
“Rehabilitation, Upgrade and reconfiguration of House of Representatives Chamber is an integral component of the job and it is to begin in earnest today, 03 August 2022,” the memo read in part.
Also recall that the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas had on Tuesday, 4th July, 2023 issued 17th July, 2023 as the deadline to the Contractor handling the renovation of the House Chambers to complete the project.
According to Executive Secretary of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engineer Shehu Ahmad who spoke during an interview in May, 2023 the sum of N19 billion has been spent so far out of the N30.2 billion appropriated for the renovation of the National Assembly complex.
According to some of the staff who spoke under condition of anonymity, some parts of the complex are still leaking especially during the rain.
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