By Henry Umoru
In continuation of the budget defence by ministries, parastatals and agencies of government, the Senate, again, on Tuesday,  suspended plenary to enable the 56 standing committees concentrate and carry out a thorough scrutiny of budget estimates.

Budget estimates of Power, Niger Delta Ministry, Trade and Investment, Housing, Women Affairs, State House,  Military  Pensions Board, National Defence College, Presidential Committee on Barracks’ Rehabilitation, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Works,  Tourism, Banking, among others were all presented before the various committees.

The sessions were quite challenging because the senators x-rayed the documents presented before them, brought out issues and asked very salient and germane questions on “why this, why that;” infact the four Ws were brought into play.

Though there were periods of comic relief, the bottom line was that the ministers and heads of parastatals knew that they faced the  senators in the open.  It is hoped that the grilling exercise and the seriousness that took place before the very eyes of all  will be carried into closed-door sessions.

When the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, appeared before the Senator Smart Adeyemi-led Committee on the Federal Capital Territory to defend a total budget of N46,190,383,645.00,  he disclosed that the outstanding liability stood at N64,317,562,355.53.  New  houses for the Vice President, NASS’ Presiding officers would gulp additional N3.2billion.

The FCTA Minister also told the Committee that for the completion of design and construction of residential houses for the Vice President, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, a total of N3.2billion was required.

According to Senator Mohammed, the sum of N324,084,963.00 was appropriated for the project in 2011 with an actual expenditure of the sum of N146,036,663.65, leaving a variance on the appropriation of N178,049,299.35, just as he said that a proposal of N1,500,000,000.00 has been made for 2012.

The Minister, who noted that the project was at its mobilisation stage, stressed that the total cost of the project is N3,044,675,974.54, adding that administration submitted a proposal of N401.23billion to the government, but the budget was cut down to 46.19billion.

Senator Mohammed, who disclosed that N2.45billion was required to complete the Vice President’s residence, said that only N864.26million was provided for the project in 2011, leaving a balance of about N1.7billion, adding that the official residence of presiding officers had an appropriation of N324million in 2011, but that only N146million was expended, just as he said that another N1.5billion had been provided for in the 2012 budget for the project.

When the Committee sought to know why the alleged variation increased the cost of the Vice President’s residence, the minister who noted that  there was no variation, explained that the adjustments came as a result of additional requirements made by the Vice President himself, adding that although the National Assembly complex Part 2 and 3 had been completed, there was an outstanding of N37.84million.

Yes, it is good for the nation’s number 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to have befitting houses, questions that beg for answers especially now that accountability is expected to be the watchword, the fact that millions of Nigerians do not have jobs, means that Nigerians deserve to know what will happen to the previous houses. Are they still owned by the government?  If they are, what will they be used for?  And if they have been sold, for how much and why were they sold?