FG approved $100m for renovation of  National Theatre -MD

 .As Reps frown at constitution of board by new mgt

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The Federal Government of Nigeria FGN approved $100 million for the renovation of the National Theatre Lagos for the facility to meet international standard for sporting and other national events,  Managing Director of the national asset Prof.Sunday Udodi has said.

The MD further said that the main bowl of the National Theatre can accommodate 500,000 viewers or other persons at sporting events after the renovation of the facility by the new management and the government is fixing the facility for hosting of national events

This happened as the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Overlapping Functions of Government Agencies has asked the Managing Director of the National Theatre not to temper with the Act of the National Assembly by establishing a Board of Director for the maintenance of the facility without recourse to the enabling Act.

Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee Hon.Victor Mela gave the warning to the MD during the ongoing investigative hearing into the overlapping functions and mandates of key government agencies in Nigeria.

The lawmaker and another member of the Committee Hon Dr.Chinyere Igwe (Rivers,PDP) said that the agency does not have any power to constitute its Board of Directors for the smooth administration of human and material resources of the national asset by the  laws gave such to National Assembly.

The Committee however informed the MD that under the Act, the National Theatre can appoint a management board to not a board of directors to oversee the smooth running of the agency in order to enable it operate in full capacity and generate sufficient revenues for Nigerian citizens.

In his presentation before the panel investigative hearing on the need for agencies of goverment to justify their existence due to overlapping mandates, the MD had told the panel that upon the completion of work on the facility, there ‘ll be a new board to manage the asset

He also stated that the facility will serve the interest of Nigerians as the federal and state governments ‘ll no longer patronise hotels for hosting of national events.

But the lawmakers notably the Ad-hoc Committee Chairman and  Hon.Dr.Chinyere Igwe insisted that the fund expended on the renovation is huge and maintained that there is the need to merge some of the existing agencies in order to enhance their service delivery in the interest of Nigerians.