Obasanjo Assures on Nigeria's Democracy
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Abuja
President Olusegun Oba-sanjo yesterday said at the foundation laying ceremony of the phase III of the National Assembly complex that he was committed to consolidating institutions that would make for better working conditions for the lawmakers.
Obasanjo who announced that the due process office had done all verifications of the project cost said that the phase III would cost N25, 557,877,459 and would be completed within a 30-month period.
He charged all Nigerians to make positive contributions towards the consolidation of democracy and good governance, which he said, was the tonic for the advancement of the country.
The president said there are still efforts to see if the cost of the project could be reviewed downwards with a higher percentage of local content. It is estimated that local content of the project being handled by Julius Berger would range between 30 to 40 percent.
Obasanjo expressed hope that the edifice would solve the present office accommodation problem of the lawmakers. About one third of the lawmakers are still functioning without offices. The new project would house the leadership, principal officers and other members of the House.
The project has provision for conference rooms, restaurants, Library and Committee meeting rooms of various capacities. Other facilities in the new edifice include spaces for banks, the budget office of the Assembly and a business center.
While performing the foundation laying ceremony, Obasanjo prayed for the success of democracy in Nigeria. He assured that the construction work would commence immediately.
Speaking at the occasion, Senate President Adolphus Wabara who said he cut short a foreign trip to witness the event lamented the dearth of offices and working materials in the legislative arm of government.
He hoped that the project, which has passed through the rigorous process of verification, would be completed within his tenure as Senate president.
Wabara pleaded with relevant government authorities to effect release of funds on time to ensure that the project was not stalled at any point as lack of space was impeding the process of legislation.
"When the project is completed, the quality of legislation will improve as work at the Committee stage will be much more enhanced. It will also afford a better opportunity for Legislators and their supporting staff to carry out a more robust and wider range research on topical national issues which will eventually lead to a broader and an all-inclusive legislation", he said.
In his address, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari noted that the issue of office accommodation though severe, was only one of the factors militating against their optimal performance.
"Let me say that the issue of inadequate office accommodation and office equipment is only one of the numerous problems that bedeviled the Nigerian Legislature today. While I do not intend to bore you with a long list, it is important to state that at the heart of these problems is the issue of financial independence of the legislature.
"It is trite knowledge that the Legislative branch is the first arm of government, yet it is the weakest, the most misunderstood, the most grossly underdeveloped and the least funded among the three arms of government. The common explanation for this sad situation has been that several years of military rule in Nigeria account fro this structural and institutional imbalance.
"Today, Nigeria is no longer under military dictatorship. We must therefore wake up to the challenge of strengthening democratic institutions. One such measure would be to review the process of funding the National Assembly", he stated.
Masari further pressed for the establishment of budget and research office to cater for the information needs of the legislators as their reliance on the executive was not good enough.
He said the establishment of the office would serve as a think-tank as well as provide them with timely, non-partisan and objective data analysis for all legislative decisions.
He said the solid foundation for the structure symbolized the foundation of "a stable, peaceful, progressive and united Nigeria of our dreams" and thanked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai who drew the loudest ovation on arrival for the project.
Deputy Senate President and Chairman, Technical Committee for the Phase III project, Senator Ibrahim Mantu said not less than N5 billion was saved from verification and due proc�ess conducted on the project by a Committee created to handle the assignment.
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