Investigation into the allocation of Maitama Hill plots in Abuja to former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke and other top government functionaries of the former administration has begun by the Senate.
Senator Dino Melaye, Chairman of the Senate committee on FCT made the disclosure yesterday. He noted that the Senate has ordered a stop to any development in the area which according to him had been reserved as green area.
Senator Dino Melaye said this when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Mallam Muhammadu Bello appeared to defend the 2016 budget before the Committee.
Melaye claimed that the green area was supposed to serve as tourist attraction, further listing names of other beneficiaries of plots in the area to include; former Justice Minister and Attorney-General of the Federation, Muhammed Bello Adoke, SAN; former Bapchild State governor, Isa Yuguda; late National Security Adviser, Andrew Owoeye Azazi; former Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, among others.
The recurrence of the design and construction of the Vice President’s residence, the United Nations and the National Assembly in the budget by the FCTA was however rebuked by the Senate which also pointed out that the cost of variation was higher than the real cost of the project.
As contained in the budget proposal, the cost of the residence presented by the FCTA reads; “Design and Construction of Vice President’s Residence: This project was awarded in 2009 at a contract sum of N7,065,665,742.40. The sum of N500,000,000.00 was appropriated in 2015 for the project while the sum of N55,422,888.19 was accessed. The total sum paid to date on this project is N6,270,910,184.90 with the sum of N794,755,557.60 as amount required to complete the project. This project has attained 88.7 per cent level of completion. The sum of N500,607,384.17 is proposed for the 2016 fiscal year.”
The Minister, on the design and construction of the National Assembly Presiding Officers’ Residence and Guest House said; “The project has two components awarded to numerous contractors at a total contract sum of N27,19.2,777,630.86. The project entails the provision of residences for Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, which comprises Main Building, ADC’s House, Guest House, Staff Quarters, Gate House, Banquet Hall, Chapel, Mosque and Power House. The sum of N2,000,000,000.00 was appropriated for this project in the 2015 fiscal year, while the sum of Nl,763,341,422.14 was actually released. The total sum of N13,578,469,394.56 has been paid to date with a balance sum of N13,614,308,236.30 required to complete the Project. The project is 500/0 level of completion. For the year 2016, the sum of N3,500,000,000.00 is proposed for the Project.”
Mallam Muhammadu Bello added that the total outstanding liabilities for projects under the FCT National Priority Budget stood at N99,895,541,963.73.