What could be described as a national embarrassment hit the parliament on Tuesday, as the 23-years-old National Assembly building gave way to a heavy downpour, which disrupted the activities in the upper chamber.
The massive downpour caused leakage in the roof of the White House, which housed the two chambers of the National Assembly building. The development rendered many lawmakers stranded for some minutes before the rain subsided.
The lobby of the Assembly was practically impassable at 11 a.m, as cleaners were immediately mobilised to divert the water and clean up the place.
Aside from the lobby, adjourning areas around the White House, including the Press Centre used by journalists, the United Bank of Africa, (UBA), and others were soaked with water from the leaking roofs.
Staffers of the official cleaners in the National Assembly, the Thyaura company, battled to clean and control the water as the intensity of the rainfall increased.
During the period the public embarrassment lasted, the senators were forced to wait at the lobby for many minutes before proceeding to the Chamber for Tuesday’s plenary, which began 30 minutes behind schedule.
It would be recalled that serious criticism trailed the approval of N37 billion in the 2020 budget for the renovation of the National Assembly complex.
Reacting to the criticism, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, had said, all we require is to have the National Assembly complex renovated, including the reconfiguration of the two chambers and the Press Centre”.
