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NASS complex Renovation: Clerk issues relocation notice to lawmakers
The office of the Clerk to the National Assembly has notified Senators and House of Representatives members to relocate from their main chambers to temporary venues for plenary as the contractor handling the renovation of the National Assembly Complex resumes work.
A statement issued on Friday by Special Adviser on Media and labor to the Clerk to the National Assembly Adesoro Austen stated that as the renovation commenced Senators will temporarily conduct plenary at Committee Room 022 on the ground floor of the New Senate Building, while the House of Representatives members will use spacious Committee rooms on the ground floor of its new wing as a plenary venue.
According to the statement, the contractor has 16 months to execute the job with an alternative arrangements in place for the plenary.
“Members of House of Representatives are expected to utilize the halls on the first and second floor of the House of Representatives new building.
“There is also a plan to use teleconferencing technology to link all lawmakers who may not be able to find seats at the Committee Room on to the ground floor.
The statement indicated that the contractor handling the renovation project officially took over the Complex on Wednesday.
In his brief remarks at the official handing over ceremony of the Complex to the contractor handling the project, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, represented by the acting Director of Public Buildings, Arc. Adebowale Ademo, listed the scope of work to be carried out during the renovation.
Adebowale said: “The renovation will comprise the two plenary chambers of the National Assembly as well as the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the Senators and Honourable Members of the House of Representatives.
“The scope of what is to be done in this phase one of the works entails making the roof watertight. There have been several inconveniences of roof leakages experienced in the past and one of the major areas of attention is to redress the roof leakages and make the entire roof of the White House watertight.
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“Next is the cooling system. Some of the Committee Rooms and central lobbies have faced challenges of temperature regulation because some of the chillers are out of service.
“The contract entails the replacement of some of the chillers and rehabilitation of those that are in good condition to make them to work properly.
“We also have as part of the scope the replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing.
“Beyond that also, work will be done in the toilet areas to make sure the plumbing and the equipment and fittings are in proper condition.
“In addition, work will be done to address challenges of the extra low voltage equipment, the public address system and the fire safety installations.
“These works will entail rehabilitation and upgrading to make them state of the art and ready for use looking at today’s technology.
“Most critical of all, in terms of what needs to be done, is the reconfiguration and the upgrading of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“This reconfiguration works involve extending the sitting terraces to provide more comfortable sitting and also provide a worktop where the legislators can sit and work in a very comfortable manner.
“Beyond that also, the entire ambience of the space is going to be transformed and we are hopeful that at the end of the works, we will have a new and very efficient working environment for our Distinguished Senators as well as the respected Honourable members of the House of Representatives.
“In a nutshell, this covers the essential scope of what needs to be done and what is going to be done during this renovation works.
“Like I said earlier, it is a major intervention. It is comprehensive and the intention is to restore this building to its original status and also to upgrade it so that the facilities and equipment therein will match any in any parliament in the world.”
On his part, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Arc. Ojo Olatunde Amos, who was represented by the Secretary Estate and Works, Engr. Bashir Yero, said the National Assembly Complex will remain a place to be in terms of legislators’ comfort after the renovation.
The CNA said the renovation of the National Assembly was long overdue as the new face of the complex when completed will give a physiological boost to lawmakers, staff, and visitors including Parliamentary reporters.
“We believe by the time this project is completed, the National Assembly will certainly be a place to be in terms and our legislators will be more than happy to have an enhanced environment, especially the chambers.
“What we have in chambers has not been too good for legislative comfort. You see the legislators having to go out once in a while and then they have to disturb a lot of their colleagues along with that roll.
But with what we have now in the review that will not happen again. The seats will not only be comfortable for them, there is going to be a connection to the internet.
“Eventually, it is going to be a mini-work station so that while they are seated in the chamber they will be virtually connected to the entire world and by this we can match any parliament in the world.”
The Managing Director of the firm handling the renovation, Messrs Visible Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Olalekan Adebiyi, said the work would be done speedily.
Adebiyi said: “We are ready to move with good speed. We are ready to work day and night because we know that challenges ahead.
“Everything we have to do, talking about the chambers, we have to do fast considering the fact that the legislators have to vacate the main chambers to a temporary place for us to work.
“So we know what it is and we are ready to face the challenge and do whatever we have to do very fast so that we can deliver in a good time. So we are ready.”
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to Friday, August 21, 2026.
The extension, announced on Thursday, is aimed at giving Nigerians, institutions and other stakeholders more time to prepare and submit substantive contributions to the proposed reform of the country’s policing architecture.
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Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the additional time was necessary to ensure broad consultation and enable stakeholders to make well-considered and technically sound contributions.
“The Presidential Working Group is committed to ensuring that the process of developing the National Policing Bill benefits from broad consultation and the informed perspectives of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders.
“The proposed legislation is intended to provide the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework necessary for an effective policing architecture that responds to Nigeria’s evolving security needs while providing appropriate safeguards for accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights,” Gbajabiamila said.
The Working Group had initially set August 13 as the deadline for public submissions but has now shifted it to 5:00 p.m. WAT on August 21.
Gbajabiamila urged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, experts and other interested members of the public to take advantage of the extension.
“All submissions must be made on or before 5:00 p.m. WAT on Friday, August 21, 2026, exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal, nationalpolicingbill.com,” he stated.
According to the Working Group, the proposed legislation will address critical areas including sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability mechanisms and safeguards against political interference or abuse.
Gbajabiamila said these issues make extensive stakeholder engagement essential to producing a policing framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the security needs of communities across the federation.
“The Working Group recognises that developing an effective policing framework requires careful consideration of critical issues, including sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability mechanisms and safeguards against political interference or abuse.
“These considerations underscore the importance of robust stakeholder engagement in developing a framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the peculiar security needs of communities across the Federation,” he said.
The Working Group, inaugurated by President Tinubu to develop the legal framework for the implementation of state police, is expected to present a final, implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward legislative processing.
The proposed bill is being developed alongside the constitutional amendment process required to establish state police, with the legislation expected to provide the detailed operational framework for federal and state policing.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has reshuffled his cabinet, redeploying the suspended Commissioner for Livestock Development, Prof. Omorodion Ikponmwosa, to the Ministry of Oil and Gas.
The minor cabinet shake-up also saw two newly sworn-in commissioners assigned portfolios, while two other serving commissioners were redeployed.
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Ikponmwosa was suspended on July 19, 2026, alongside the State Project Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (LPRES) Project, Mrs. Ikpikhumi Betsy Aghaku, over what the state government described as an “official infraction.”
The government did not provide further details on the nature of the alleged infraction during his suspension.
The latest changes were contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor, who said the exercise was aimed at strengthening governance, enhancing efficiency and improving service delivery across the state.
Under the new arrangement, Mr. Iriabekhai Kayode Jeffery, one of the newly sworn-in commissioners, was deployed to the Ministry of Mining, while Mr. Martin Anayochukwu Oli was assigned to the newly created Ministry of Inter-Ethnic Relations.
The Commissioner for Communications, Mr. Ohimai Ehijimetor, was redeployed to the Ministry of Livestock Development.
Ikponmwosa, who previously headed Livestock Development, was moved to the Ministry of Oil and Gas, while Mr. Andrew Momodu, the former Commissioner for Oil and Gas, was redeployed to the Ministry of Communications.
The state government said the changes were made to better align responsibilities with the “respective skills, experience and competencies” of members of the State Executive Council.
Explaining the creation of the Ministry of Inter-Ethnic Relations, the government said it was established to “promote inter-ethnic and inter-community harmony, strengthen peaceful coexistence, and harness the rich and ever-evolving diversity of Edo citizens as an asset for the development and unity of the state.”
All the deployments and redeployments take immediate effect, with the affected commissioners directed to ensure seamless handover and assumption of duties.
Governor Okpebholo also urged members of the State Executive Council to bring “renewed vigour, professionalism and commitment” to their respective assignments.
According to the government, the governor expects the cabinet members to support his administration’s determination to deliver “efficient, responsive and people-centred governance” to the people of Edo State.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, Idiroko, has intercepted and seized 6,035 wraps of cannabis sativa with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2,087,603,186.76 across different locations in Ogun State.
The Area Comptroller of the command, Olukayode Afeni, disclosed this on Thursday while handing over the seized drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Area Command.
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Afeni said the handover was carried out in line with standard operating procedures and the legal framework for further investigation.
He raised concern over the circulation of potent cannabis strains, particularly Ghana Loud and Colorado, warning that their smuggling could pose serious risks to young people and communities.
According to Afeni, Ghana Loud has been linked to acute psychosis, severe cardiovascular distress, rapid addiction and long-term mental health challenges.
“The high profit margin of Ghana Loud is also linked to violent criminal networks, human trafficking, and illegal proliferation of arms across the borders,” he said.
The comptroller further warned that the smuggling of cannabis and other dangerous variants to young demographics could destabilise schools and local communities.
Afeni disclosed that from January to date, the Ogun 1 Area Command had handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw cannabis sativa to the NDLEA Idiroko Special Command.
He described the fight against drug smuggling as a collective responsibility and reaffirmed the Customs Service’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders and protecting the future of young Nigerians.
Afeni also warned drug traffickers to desist from the illicit trade, stressing that the command would continue to intercept illegal consignments and bring those involved to justice.
Speaking on the development, the NDLEA commander, represented by Adewale Fagbohun, a Director in Narcotics, commended the Customs Service for its efforts.
He said the seizure demonstrated the diligence and resilience of Customs personnel in securing the nation’s borders and protecting society.
The NDLEA also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Customs Service and other relevant agencies to disrupt the activities of drug smugglers.
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