The contractor handling the renovation of the House of Representatives chamber has said the December 31 deadline given by the Speaker of the House Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to complete the renovation was not sacrosanct.

The contract’s Project Manager, Mr Tajudeen Olanipekun, said this while reacting to the deadline given by the Speaker, who along with his Deputy, Benjamin Kalu, paid an unscheduled visit to the project site on November 14.

Asked if funding was causing the delay, Mr Olanipekun said no, adding the contract was well funded.

The renovation which began in April 2022 has lasted over one year without any signs that the job was nearing completion.

The Speaker gave the December 31, 2023, deadline for the project completion to enable lawmakers to begin the year 2024 legislative work at the newly-renovated chamber.

The project is handled by the Federal Capital Territory Administration and not the management of the National Assembly.

Mr Olanipekun described the lawmakers as end users, adding that the deadline was not sacrosanct.

He said, “We are dealing with end users and not the client, whatever we do we report to the client. We cannot stop the end users from coming to see their property.”

The Speaker’s unscheduled inspection was to ensure that the deadline for the conclusion of the project was met.

This would also ensure that the House sitting commenced in the new chamber on resumption from the end-of-year recess.

Meanwhile, before the renovation work commenced, the National Assembly complex was always flooded due to heavy rainfall.

Also, in 2019, over N30 billion was budgeted for the renovation of the complex, but the amount generated criticism and was reviewed downwards to N9 billion.

Chairman, House Services Committee, Amos Daniel, also gave the assurance of diligent supervision of the contractor to ensure that the project was delivered on schedule and according to specification. 

(NAN)