A member of the House of Representatives, from Osun State, Hon Bamidele Salam has opposed the plan to spend N37 billion on the renovation of the National Assembly Complex.

According to Bamidele Salam, the much talked about N37B for the National Assembly Renovation should be diverted to create more jobs in the country and access to more loans for small scale businesses.

Salam, who is representing Egbedore, Ede, Ejigbo Federal constituency and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the complex does not need any renovation more than the classrooms, roads, hospitals that are in bad state across the country.

He proposed that the money be channeled towards creating more jobs and giving out interest- free loans to small scale businesses.

His statement below:

I am a member of the National Assembly but I sincerely do not think we need a 37 billion Naira renovation of that edifice now.

 

Apart from the Chambers of the NASS which need some upgrade in the audio and recording system, the entire structure needs no renovation more than our classrooms, hospitals and roads which are mostly in a decrepit condition.

 

As an advocate of an aggressive microcredit strategy for job creation, I would rather want to see 370,000 small businesses get 100k interest free loan within 12 months rather than have 1 edifice swallow that sum within the same period.

 

If we mop up all funds voted for renovations of the Presidential villa and other offices of political leaders and top civil servants, we will raise more than a quarter of a trillion Naira that can be injected into SMES in the coming year.

 

I will, by God’s grace, be making this open advocacy on the floor of the House of Representatives when the House reconvenes in January.

 

It is never late to change a wrong policy!