Senate Cancels Funding For Patience Jonathan’s first Ladies Mission, Approves FCT Budget

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.