Politics
NASS Plans 6,000 Housing Units For Staff
Executive Director, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly Chapter, Dr Beni Goka, says the association is embarking on construction of 6,000 housing unit with local materials for staff in Abuja.
He made this known in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Abuja.
Goka stressed the need for the government and staff associations to ensure the welfare of citizens were guaranteed through affordable housing schemes.
As part of its effort at providing affordable houses for its members, Goka said that the association was embarking on a project of 6000 units of houses spread across the six area councils of the FCT.
“The staff union of the National Assembly decided in its goodness that the staff members need to be accommodated,” he said.
Goka noted that the association had identified over the years that finance and land acquisition were reasons why their members were not accommodated under the National Assembly Housing Scheme.
According to him, the contract for the building will be awarded to developers, who are proficient, who have the know-how, who are financially viable and who have lands.
“We had 70 developers, who applied for these positions but we are settling for 10. We will ensure that this project does not fail.
“We are also sourcing for alternative funding because we are aware that the Federal Mortgage Bank will be able to build up to a certain stage before they get their money back,” he said.
The executive director, Construction Finance, NASS, said the project was meant for permanent staff and legislative aides.
“These legislative aides are not members of PASAN. We are trying to include them in the project. Nigerians in general will also benefit from the project,” he said.
Goka, who said that there was daily increase in the cost of building materials, noted that the association had approximate value of monetary figure that would be placed on the houses.
According to him, for instance two-bedroom will costs between N9 million to N10 million, while the developer designs with our specification.
“Quantity Surveyor will verify what they bring in based on today’s market, then we will come up with an acceptable price for the project which will be based on differences in location.
“For the payment schedule, there will be monthly deduction that goes to PASAN fund as contribution to the housing.
“What we are trying to do is to make sure that our staff fall into the Federal Mortgage Bank long term mortgage scheme.
“We are working out the modalities of payment based on the year of service and year remaining in service versus the down payment,” Goka said
The director told newsmen that the association would make use of local materials for the construction of the over 6000 units of houses for staff of the National Assembly.
According to Goka, this was in a bid to promote the use of indigenous products.
“We are hoping to use more of local content in our construction, particularly in the building materials.
“The local tiles are cheaper than the ones we import from China, with the economic recession, from January till date, local tiles have added about N250. If we are to import, it will be about N2, 300 we are having our local tiles at about N1, 350 on bulk purchase,” he said.
He further said that the use of local content does not involve only the building materials but also the technical expertise.
According to him, the association will be using simple finishing to make the houses more cheaper and affordable.
“By simple finishing we mean the basic finishing”.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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