The Senate has ordered Visible Concept, the construction firm handling the renovation work at National Assembly to speedily complete the projects. Sen. Adeyemi, Chairman of the Senate Committee, issued the order following an on-the-spot assessment of the projects by committee members. As well as the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Ahmad.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the FCDA awarded contracts for the renovation of important areas of the national assembly complex in March due to substantial dilapidation.
The segments included the sacred chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives. As well as the Dome in the White House, and the N30B building of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and Library.
Adeyemi, acknowledged that the renovation work being done in both chambers was excellent. However, he expressed concern over the slow pace of progress. He claimed that except for miracles, the January 2023 deadline for delivery of transformed hallowed chambers was no longer achievable.
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Remarks on the renovation work at National Assembly
He said, “This project must not be abandoned under any circumstances. The hallowed chambers should be finished and delivered by the end of January 2023. However, the work witnessed here today does not indicate anything that poses a threat to our legislative obligations and powers.
“But failure to complete this project on time poses a threat to democracy itself. As we do not want the new government to inherit it as an abandoned project. As a result, this committee wishes to learn about the difficulties that contractors have in completing the projects,” he added.
Adeyemi also directed the FCDA executive secretary to contact the minister in order to secure additional monies for the contractors.
He said, “As FCDA’s executive secretary and the Minister’s Chief of Staff, you have heard the contractor. Please grant them more money for this project since we do not want to leave challenges for the next administration. Even if there is a bond to be obtained from a bank, please complete the project on time. We in the national parliament want well-renovated hallowed chambers handed over by April 2023 at the latest.”
Mr. Tajudeen Olanipekun, Site Engineer, Visible Concept, requested additional cash to complete the project on schedule. He stated that variations in the value of the Naira against the USD had made the importation of equipment difficult.
