President Muhammadu Bhari reportedly walked out on ministers during a meeting at presidential villa.
The report said the ministers led by youth and sports minister Solomon Dalung had sought the audience of President 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.”
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.
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.
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.
Source: Naij
