Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the National Assembly to reject the proposed N15 billion budgeted for constructing a new residence for Vice-President Kashim Shettima, in the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) supplementary budget.
In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, recently, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, argued that approving such huge sums of money for the construction of a new residence for the VP amounted to wastage of national treasury.
He said the Senate was constitutionally mandated to ensure that public spending aligned with constitutional mandates and that all public officials were bound by the rule of law.
Oluwadare said the Senate should refrain from approving any wasteful or unnecessary expenses aimed at indulging public officials’ personal comforts or lifestyles.
He warned that should the Senate fail to curb unjustified expenditures and oversee government borrowing, the organization would pursue legal actions to ensure the National Assembly, including the Senate, fulfils its constitutional obligations for public interest.
Kolawole further urged the Senate President to refer the alleged corruption in the previously approved N7 billion for a vice-president’s residence construction to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The construction was reportedly abandoned, while the whereabouts of the N7 billion remain undisclosed.
According to him, the proposed N15 billion spending on a new residence for the vice president, apart from the N2.5 billion allocated for the residence renovation in the federal government’s supplementary budget, was unreasonable.
The House of Representatives has reportedly approved the N15 billion plan, along with another N3 billion for the vice president’s residence in Lagos State.
Additionally, Nysom Wike, the Minister of FCT, aims to spend N2.8 billion on FCTA publicity.
The SERAP’s deputy chairman emphasised the Senate’s role in preventing the use of the national budget for fulfilling personal comforts of public officials, urging the Senate President to adhere to the Nigerian Constitution and promote honest and lawful expenditure of public funds.
He said the organisation was vigilant about the Senate’s actions regarding the supplementary budget and intends to ensure compliance with constitutional obligations and prudent public spending.
