The leadership of the National Assembly have called for a reduction in the budgeted amount for the construction of official residences for the leaders of the both legislative chambers.
Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara
It was learnt, at the weekend, that Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have rejected the N10billion voted in the 2016 budget of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the building of their official quarters, opting for a cut in the vote, according to the Vanguard.
Saraki and Dogara, according to National Assembly sources, last week, agreed that the cost of the buildings should be reduced to one billion Naira each, to save the country N8billion.
They were said to have informed the chairmen of the Committees on FCT in both chambers to reflect the decision in their report to the Committees on Appropriation.
The Senate President and Speaker said in view of the economic situation in the country and the need for public officials to be frugal, building houses worth N6bn and N4bn respectively for them was insensitive.
The two top legislators said the FCT ministry should scale down the cost of the projects or forget the idea until after their tenure. The Senate President was living in his personal house in Maitama area of Abuja until a fire incident last year forced him to relocate to an official guest house while Dogara stays in a rented apartment.