Patience Jonathan’s N4bn First Ladies Mission Hopes Dashed As Senate Cancels Funding For Project

The
Senate
on
Wednesday declined approval for the N4 billion allocation
proposed by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory for
the construction of a building for the African First Ladies
Mission, currently headed by Nigeria's first lady, Patience
Jonathan.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, Abuja, Smart Adeyemi, stated this on
Wednesday, while confirming that the Senate had passed
the Abuja budget for 2013.
Mr. Adeyemi said the proposed N4 billion for construction of
the first ladies mission building in Africa was distributed to
critical needs in satellite towns. He said the money to be
spent on the mission building could not be approved due to
litigation on the proposed land.
Mr. Adeyemi said the Senate could not appropriate funds for
a land that was not available.
An Abuja court had ruled that the land proposed by the FCT
ministry for the first ladies' building belonged to an
organisation owned by Mrs. Jonathan's predecessor, Turai
Yar'Adua, after a protracted muddy legal battle.
The Abuja Minister, Bala Mohammed, had revoked the
choice land from Mrs. Yar'Adua's organisation and given it to
first ladies' mission; a decision the court upturned.