Reps frown at FG plan to build N3b houses for top officials

The House of Representatives on Thursday frowned at a plan by the federal government to built 40 houses for top Federal Government officials at a cost of N3billion.

While former President Olusegun Obasanjo started a policy, where housing and car incentives to civil servants are monetised, the House therefore queried the change of policy by the present administration, arguing that the initial programme may have been jettisoned without due process.

This was the position of the Herman Hembe-led House Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during its 2016/2017 budget session with the Ministry of FCT.

Hembe said, “When government comes up with a policy, it should follow it up. When you begin to build houses for ministers, permanent secretaries and directors, are they above the members of the National Assembly?

“If you want to move for monetisation, it should be complete. I think it was wrong to sell the houses in the first place. This kind of thing may be very difficult to pass on the floor of the House. You can’t push for building houses for them. I remember at some point, they even wanted to sell the Vice President’s house.”

Responding, FCT Permanent Secretary, Babatope Ajakaiye, who represented the minister, Mohammed Bello, explained that the reason for the policy was because government felt the monetisation policy was due for review.

“We have not started it; it is a new project. I still want to plead for understanding on this issue. The issue has been discussed last year and we’re still talking about it. The policy was introduced by government, but after sometime, there was this feeling that it should be reviewed.

“When government says top functionaries, it is not defining. In countries around the world, they build safe houses, and it’s not meant for any particular person.

“Can we really say we want to give houses to about 500 legislators in one or two years? Top government functionary could be anybody. There’s always a start,” he said.

After deliberation on the matter, the committee requested that details of the 40 unit houses, their specifications and supposed beneficiaries be made available to it as soon as possible.

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