Some new members of the National Assembly have begun the process of taking bank loans to meet their accommodation challenges pending the payment of their welcome package.
The money, which has been conservatively put at between N65m and N70m for each lawmaker, is meant for their accommodation, personal vehicles, quarterly allowances and others for furniture and wardrobe.
But almost a month after the inauguration, the money has not been paid.
Confiding in The Punch, a senator from the South-South geopolitical zone said was tired of sleeping in hotels.
He said, “Part of my plans pending the payment of our allowances is to secure a loan facility that I could use to buy land and pay one-year rent within the Abuja city centre.
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“I know that before the expiration of my one-year rent, I would be able to supervise the construction of my own building project. I hope to repay the loan whenever our allowances are paid.
“I actually got the idea from a discussion with some of my colleagues who have started the process.”
Meanwhile, a member of the Senate ad hoc committee on welfare confirmed that necessary arrangements had been perfected to ensure payment of the lawmakers’ welcome package latest by this week.
He, however, explained that the amount would not be up to N70m as reported in the media.He said, “We have concluded all arrangements with the management for the disbursement of the money which is necessary for us to settle down.
“Many of our colleagues are still living in hotels since they arrived in Abuja incurring huge bills.”