Standup9ja: Reps query FCTA over N3bn official houses
A House of Representatives committee yesterday queried the
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over plans to build 40 units of
houses for top government officials despite the monetization policy.
The 40 units of houses were to be built at a cost of N3
billion as contained in the FCTA’s 2017 budget proposal.
The committee on FCT, chaired by Herman Hembe (APC, Benue), said
during a budget defence session with the permanent secretary in the ministry,
Babatope Ajakaiye, that it would not accept such double standards.
The lawmakers said elected officials are living in rented
apartments; no appointed government official should stay in official residence.
“When government comes up with a policy, it should follow it
up. When you begin to build houses for ministers, permanent secretaries and
directors, are they above the members of the National Assembly? If you want to
move for monetization, it should be complete. I think it was wrong to sell the
houses in the first place,” Hembe said.
The lawmaker added that, “This kind of thing may be very
difficult to pass on the floor of the House. You can’t push for building
houses. I remember at some point, they wanted to sell the vice president’s
house.”
Responding, the permanent secretary said government felt it
should build accommodations for certain category of officers, despite the
monetization policy, saying the quarters would serve as safe houses.
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