***as reconstruction work nears completion
After about 18 months of holding plenaries at temporary chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives will return to their main Hallowed Chambers next month.
Indications to this effect, emerged from the near completion stages the upgraded hallowed chambers are presently, with all the State – of – art furnishings beffiting of the federal lawmakers fixed and sitting terraces extended by Visible Construction Company Nigeria Limited handling the renovation works.
The Project Engineer of the Construction firm, Tajudeen Olanipekun, told journalists covering the Senate last week in telephone conversation that the finishing stages of work are speedily being carried out with required expertise and precision for practical transformation of the entire ambience of the space in and around the Hallowed Chambers towards project delivery next month
Engineer Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed Hallowed Chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with the call by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives, are eager to move to their main chambers as soon as possible .
Akpabio’s subtle marching order to the CNA on delivery of the main Hallowed Chambers to both the Senate and the House of Representatives was given on Tuesday last week, during his interactive session with journalists covering the Senate which was attended by the CNA and other top management staff of the National Assembly.
“Please impress it on contractor handling the project to be more speedily on renovation works at both Chambers as the temporary chambers being used since 2022, are not befitting for hosting of visitors from outside the country “, he said .
For on the spot assessment of the projects, some of the journalists covering the Senate , made facts finding visitations to both Chambers under renovation on Friday last week, where they saw , fully transformed , upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers, measuring up to global standards.
Recall that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in March 2021 awarded a N30 billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex, which are almost completed now.
Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, watertightness of the roof of the complex , the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing etc.