Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, last week, turned down a proposed estimate of N10bn included in the 2016 estimate of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the building of their official residences.
The duo insisted that the cost of the buildings be reduced to N1bn each, thereby saving the country a sum of N8bn.
They have informed the chairmen of the Committee on FCT in both chambers to reflect the decision in their report to the Committee on Appropriation.
The Saraki and Dogara said in view of the economic situation in the country, and the need for every public official to be frugal, building a house worth N6bn and N4bn respectively for them was unnecessary and insensitive.
As a result, the FCT ministry has been instructed to either scale down the cost of the projects and ensure they do not go beyond N1bn each, or forget the idea until after the tenure of Saraki and Dogara.
Saraki lived in his personal house in Maitama, Abuja until a fire incident late last year forced him to relocate to an official guest house, while Dogara resides a in a rented apartment.
Sources say that the wish of the Senate President had been reflected in the report submitted by the Senate Committee on FCT to the Appropriation Committee.