In recession, reps take delivery of N3.4bn cars

The house of representatives says it has taken delivery of 200 of the 360 Peugeot 508 cars it ordered from Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited (PAN) – worth N3.4 billion.

This is coming at a time when the country is struggling to get out of economic recession.

DailyTrust quoted Abdulrazak Namdas, spokesman of the house, as confirming the delivery of the car.

According to the newspaper, the initial contract was N10 million for each, but the price was reviewed to N17m per unit, totalling N6.1 billion for 360 cars.

“Over 200 have been supplied out of 360, and we are still getting more. Every member will get their car by the end of this year. The issue is that the payment for the vehicle is being done in instalment,” Namdas is quoted to have said.

“The house and the company, PAN, have reached an agreement to this arrangement of paying and supplying in instalment.

“Of course not all the members can get their cars at the same time, and we have explained to them (lawmakers) why this cannot be possible.”

The total budget for the legislature this year is N125bn. This is N10bn higher than that of last year – of which details were not disclosed.

While the senate will splash N2.6bn on automobiles, the house will do the same at the cost of N6.1bn.

When the news of the allocation for cars broke, some Nigerians reacted angrily, wondering the need for that at a critical period in the nation.

But the lawmakers defended their action, saying the vehicles would enable them carry out their oversight functions.