The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) caused a stir in the Senate on Thursday when it presented its Statutory Appropriation Bill for 2013.
According to the FCTA, the sum of N5 billion had been budgeted for the rehabilitation of prostitutes in and around the Abuja metropolis in 2013.
It also disclosed that the sum of N7.45 billion had been earmarked for the expansion and rehabilitation of the two entrants at ONEX (Kubwa Expressway) and Airport Expressway.
In the same vein, the FCTA said the sum of N4 billion was earmarked for the construction of the First Lady Mission Building project within the same period.
These were contained in the lead debate on the FCTA Statutory Appropriation Bill, 2013 and sponsored and presented to the Senate by its leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.
While the budget proposal, put at N253 billion was passed into second reading, the senators picked holes in it, saying the FCTA had misplaced its priorities.
A breakdown of the proposal included N7.5 billion for the construction of a new city gate; N150 million for the renovation of the Vice- President Guest House while N5 billion was earmarked for the rehabilitation of prostitutes and destitutes in the FCT, among others.
Opening the floor on the budget proposal, Senator Abdul Lingi expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of money budgeted for the First Lady Mission Building project as well as the N150 million budgeted for the Vice-President Guest House in Asokoro.
“N150 million is too much for the renovation of the Vice-President Guest House in Asokoro. How much will the building now gulp if we want to build it?”, he asked.
Senator Babajide Omoworare, in his own comment, described as scandalous the N4 billion project, arguing that the money could be spent on some important things that would be meaningful and beneficial to the people.
“It is not proper for us to put the money for the building of First Lady Mission House into the FCT budget. It is against the federalism system of government.
“And again, how can we budget 7.4billion for the city gate? I think the amount is too much for the construction of the city gate,” he said.
Senator Babafemi Ojodu said it was not proper to spend the amount on a building that would be put into use only once or twice in a year.
According to the FCTA, the sum of N5 billion had been budgeted for the rehabilitation of prostitutes in and around the Abuja metropolis in 2013.
It also disclosed that the sum of N7.45 billion had been earmarked for the expansion and rehabilitation of the two entrants at ONEX (Kubwa Expressway) and Airport Expressway.
In the same vein, the FCTA said the sum of N4 billion was earmarked for the construction of the First Lady Mission Building project within the same period.
These were contained in the lead debate on the FCTA Statutory Appropriation Bill, 2013 and sponsored and presented to the Senate by its leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.
While the budget proposal, put at N253 billion was passed into second reading, the senators picked holes in it, saying the FCTA had misplaced its priorities.
A breakdown of the proposal included N7.5 billion for the construction of a new city gate; N150 million for the renovation of the Vice- President Guest House while N5 billion was earmarked for the rehabilitation of prostitutes and destitutes in the FCT, among others.
Opening the floor on the budget proposal, Senator Abdul Lingi expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of money budgeted for the First Lady Mission Building project as well as the N150 million budgeted for the Vice-President Guest House in Asokoro.
“N150 million is too much for the renovation of the Vice-President Guest House in Asokoro. How much will the building now gulp if we want to build it?”, he asked.
Senator Babajide Omoworare, in his own comment, described as scandalous the N4 billion project, arguing that the money could be spent on some important things that would be meaningful and beneficial to the people.
“It is not proper for us to put the money for the building of First Lady Mission House into the FCT budget. It is against the federalism system of government.
“And again, how can we budget 7.4billion for the city gate? I think the amount is too much for the construction of the city gate,” he said.
Senator Babafemi Ojodu said it was not proper to spend the amount on a building that would be put into use only once or twice in a year.
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