The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) thinks building a very expensive home for the Vice President of Nigeria is a big mistake by the country’s leaders.
HURIWA’s head, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, spoke about this during their 17th-anniversary event in Abuja. The event was attended by many important people, like government officials and teachers.
The theme for the event was: “ANY NEXUS BETWEEN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP & HUMAN RIGHTS?”
VP Residence amid widespread poverty
Onwubiko said that leaders should use their positions to help protect the basic rights of Nigerians.
He mentioned that the lack of good government leads to problems like insecurity, instability, and joblessness.
Onwubiko thinks that given the tough economic conditions, the government should not have allowed the building of the VP’s new home.
He asked President Bola Tinubu to cut down on unnecessary spending and instead use the money to help people in need.
What he said,
“It is a terrible mistake to spend so much money on a fancy house for the vice president when many families in Nigeria are very poor.”
“Why build a grand mansion for the vice president when the country has so many poor people?
“Cutting down on government waste will make it easier to help the citizens.”
He asked the National Assembly not to approve any new government agencies, saying it’s important to reduce the size of the government.
More insights
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, assured people that the Ministry of Justice will make sure that government policies protect both security and human rights.
“We are working to balance security and human rights. We want to make sure everyone’s rights are protected while keeping the country safe.
“We have a department for citizens’ rights where people can complain and get help,” he added.
Backstory
Eight months ago, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, said the new VP’s house will be finished by May 29, 2024. The construction company, Julius Berger, asked to raise the cost of the project from N7 billion to N15 billion because material costs increased.
The minister said President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima agreed to finish the project.
Mr. Shehu Ahmed, from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), said the project started in 2010 according to the Abuja Master Plan.
The National Assembly approved an extra N15 billion for the building, making the total cost N21 billion.
In June, Vice President Shettima opened the project, saying it was part of continuing projects from past governments.