National Assembly Complex almost collapsing, says Gbaja

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says the National Assembly Complex is “almost collapsing.”

NAN quoted Gbajabiamila as saying this when he hosted Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, in Abuja on Monday.

He said the legislative complex is “presently in a sorry state”, urging the federal capital territory administration (FCTA) to take over the maintenance of the building.

“As it is today, the building is almost collapsing. The maintenance is at zero level,” he said.

The speaker, who attributed the present state of the building to funding challenge, said it would be easier for the FCTA to maintain it.

He also said part of what the federal lawmakers need “to have a robust legislature” is a fully-equipped standard library.

“So we will be needing your intervention in this regard. We will need to make the house fully I.T compliant also,” he told Mustapha.

“And how do you work if you don’t have these things on your finger tips? ”And your office is very critical to actualising these legislative agenda that we have set for ourselves.”

Gbajabiamila, however, said that as part of the reforms of the lower legislative chamber, efforts had been made to upgrade the internet connectivity within the area.

“I’m glad to announce that by tomorrow when we resume sitting, one of our reforms would have been in place; the chamber now is more or less 80 per cent I.T. compliant,” he said.