Akpabio warns contractor over recurring technical faults in NASS chambers
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has warned that the National Assembly may pursue legal action against the contractor responsible for renovating its chambers if persistent technical problems with the audio system are not resolved. The warning followed repeated interruptions during Wednesday's Senate plenary, where several lawmakers encountered difficulties using the chamber's microphones while contributing to debates. Addressing the issue, Akpabio expressed dissatisfaction with the recurring faults, describing the situation as unacceptable for Nigeria's highest legislative institution. He noted that the malfunctioning equipment had not only disrupted proceedings in the Senate but had also caused similar challenges in the House of Representatives. According to the Senate President, he experienced the same technical problems while attending the opening ceremony of the National Assembly Week at the House of Representatives, where he represented the Senate. Akpabio explained that the contractor responsible for upgrading the Senate chamber also handled the renovation work in the House of Representatives, raising concerns about the quality of the project delivered. He said the continued failure of the audio system reflects poorly on the legislature and undermines the image of the country, stressing that the National Assembly would not hesitate to invoke legal remedies if the contractor fails to correct the deficiencies.
The Senate President also called the attention of lawmakers to the recurring faults, saying their observations would be important should the Assembly decide to take formal action against the contractor. He added that any decision to sanction the contractor would be based on the repeated technical failures witnessed during legislative sittings and not on public criticism or reactions on social media. The malfunctioning microphones disrupted several contributions during plenary, with lawmakers repeatedly struggling to make their voices heard, highlighting concerns over the functionality of facilities installed during the renovation of the National Assembly complex. Akpabio maintained that contractors handling public infrastructure projects must be held accountable for the quality of work delivered, particularly on projects funded with public resources.
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