The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has said that most of her basic salary as a senator goes towards meeting the needs and challenges that are occurring in Abuja, most especially in the rural areas.
Senator Kingibe, who spoke in an interview with ARISE PRIMETIME on Wednesday night, also revealed that contrary to popular opinion, the purchase of luxury SUVs for the members of senate was carried out by the 9th Assembly, not the 10th Assembly.
it is more important to make sure that the problems that Abuja experiences with insecurity, healthcare, and other aspects are solved before the construction of other infrastructure in the state
Kingibe was questioned on the campaign promise she made to use her basic salary to provide aid for people in Abuja, to which she replied, “People are under the misconception that the basic salary of a senator is a lot. Really, it’s not as much. But so far, I’ve been a senator- in the next week or two it will be maybe 6 months, because there’s such intense poverty out there, a lot of it goes for palliatives. Oh, I have no food, I need to do this, so, a lot of that goes there.
“But that notwithstanding, I’m in the process of trying to buy a rig so that some of those infrastructural process you are talking about, I’m trying to see if, in partnership with some donor agencies, I can get a greater, so that some short rural roads, it will make a little bit of a difference, so yes. I leave the bigger ones to the minister to do in terms of infrastructure, I’m just trying to do the little ones that will make a difference.”
Speaking on the SUVs that were purchased by the senators, Kingibe said that the vehicles were approved and purchased by the 9th Assembly, not the 10th Assembly. She said, “I think that going forward, I think this terms senate might opt to buy cheaper cars made in Nigeria or whatever, I don’t know, but you can hold us responsible for the cars that the 11th Assembly rides, but the ones that we got were purchased and sorted out by the 9th assembly.”
The senator then, when asked on the disagreement she had with Wike on his wanting to complete the millennium and culture centre in Abuja, said, “To complete that millennium centre would cost 72 billion, that was about the number he told us. Insecurity is a major challenge in FCT, I think a lot of resources need to be channelled there. Right now, people are getting kidnapped in Asokoro Maitama across the road, not too far from where the embassies are, and even from where I live. It’s not just in the outskirts of Abuja anymore. So, until we all feel secure, everything else doesn’t make sense.
“Abuja also has a problem with water, light, healthcare, schools, and so, I think that 72 billion will go a long way in getting some of those people problem ameliorated.”
She said that while she doesn’t want the project to be abandoned, “I just think that we can postpone the completion until when we are stronger and more liquid as a nation. Then we can do those things. I mean, a cultural centre is a laudable idea really, but we have more pressing issues.”
Speaking on the lessons she has learned in her time in the senate, Senator Kingibe said that it is easy for one to criticize actions from the outside, as things are not as easy to do on the inside. She also said that, contrary to popular opinion, senators are not idle people, and they carry out a lot of work.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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