According to signal report the
ministers led by youth and sports minister Solomon Dalung had sought the
audience of President Buhari as the ministers for financial request of N20
million per annum to settle their accommodation problem but mid-way into the meeting, Mr Buhari
President stood up and ‘excused himself’ leaving the ministers dejected and
hopeless.
President Buhari rejected
the request by the ministers “because his hands are tied by the Remuneration
Act, even though he empathises with their situation. They were asking for N20
million per annum for their accommodation. But prior to last week’s meeting,
several other options had been proposed, including buying an estate or the FCDA
(Federal Capital Development Authority) building one, but these were considered
expensive and dropped.
The final option was the
request for N20 million per annum, because some ministers are squatting in
Abuja and the situation is impacting on their jobs,” Signal reported. Quoting a
source who was present during the meeting, the report said “The ministers have
been facing serious challenges with accommodation and they put their heads
together to go and see the President hoping that they could persuade him to do
something.
Dalung was the spokesperson
of the ministers; Communication Minister Adebayo Shittu was also at the
meeting. Where the problem started was when Dalung started making reference to
how ministers got a nice accommodation package under previous governments.
He actually said that under
Jonathan ministers were given N20 million each for accommodation. When he said
that Buhari asked if he mean N20 million for all the ministers and Dalung
replied that it was N20 million per person. It was at this point that Buhari
stood up and said he was taking his leave and leaving Osinbajo to “sort it out”
with them,” an unnamed source was quoted. READ ALSO: Fulani Herdsmen terror
attacks: Sultan of Sokoto kicks Ministers who are perceived not be affected with
the accommodation problem are minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, minister
of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola and minister of solid minerals,
Kayode Fayemi.
It was however gathered the
minister of youth and sports, Solomon Dalung has secured a low-key
accommodation at Gwarinpa district of Abuja. Meanwhile, the ministry of budget
and national planning says it has begun the preparation of 2017 budget. The
minister of state budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed who was quoted in
a statement signed by Charles Dafe, Director of Information in the ministry
disclosed this when the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN)
paid her a courtesy visit.
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