 |
| NASS (credit: thetrentonline.com) |
As
federal lawmakers resume from their two weeks recess on Tuesday, concerns over
security of lawmakers have arisen, following power cut to the National Assembly
Complex by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), The Nation reports.
The
National Assembly has been without electricity since Thursday October 9. It was
learnt that the AEDC cut electricity supply to the National Assembly complex
following non-payment of electricity bills, reportedly up to the tune of N8
million.
The
blackout has come with its security risks as reported by a Department of State
Services (DSS) operative attached to the National Assembly. According to the
operative, all security scanners installed at the major entrances to the NASS
complex were no longer functioning, following the power situation. LEADERSHIP
Weekend gathered that the development has forced the National Assembly to
resort to its diesel-powered generators to supply electricity to offices and
business areas in the legislative complex but matters became worse on Thursday
evening after the electricity generating plants stopped working. An operator
reported that diesel needed to power the generators had finished and there was
no money to buy replacements.
Yesterday,
the blackout continued, crippling activities in the offices, banks and other
businesses inside the legislative complex. Many staff members were seen leaving
the complex as early as noon as a result of the blackout.
LEADERSHIP
Weekend learnt that in the last six weeks, electricity to the legislative
complex has been largely from the now packed-up generating sets. Beautifully
mowed lawns in the complex have also been overgrown with weeds.
In
April, five middle-aged men and a woman narrowly escaped death at the National
Assembly as one of its dilapidated elevators malfunctioned, trapping the
occupants for almost an hour.
For the past three years,
the National Assembly budget allocation has been in the region of N150 billion.
No comments:
Post a Comment