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Tag: National Assembly

  • TNGCIJ INVESTIGATIONS: Zonal Intervention Projects: How lawmakers abandon sites in Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa

    ….they mounted poles and promised to return in 2 weeks, it’s now 10 years no news….

    ….I only saw my lawmaker last during campaigns says community leader

    …primary, secondary school students sit on barefloor to learn

    By Emmanuel Bagudu

    The ZIP is an intervention fund started by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 1999.designated for the execution of projects across the 469 constituencies across the country in every budget cycle. A sum of N100 billion is usually appropriated for the ZIP in the annual budget.

    Members of the two legislative chambers of the National Assembly are expected to nominate projects to be sited in their constituencies to the tune of the sum allocated to them in the ZIP.

    However, recently the utilisation of the ZIP has pitched the parliament against the ICPC, after President Muhammadu Buhari, while speaking at a National Summit on “Diminishing Corruption in the Public Service” , an event organised by the ICPC in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said one trillion Naira has been spent by the lawmakers on constituency projects in the last 10 years without commensurate results.

    The House apparently angered by the president’s allegation vehemently denied such a ridiculous amount was made available for constituency outreach projects. They claimed less than 30percent was released by the executive.

    But on ground in three North West states of the federation there was virtually nothing to show for even the 30percent they claimed was released.

    Littered across the three states are abandoned zonal intervention projects.

    A lot of communities are suffering in Northwestern Nigeria due to negligence on the part of government at both the executive and legislative arm. TNG’s Northern correspondant Emmanuel Bagudu who toured Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa has a lot to share in this piece.

    Exactly four years ago, the Federal government through the house of representatives allocated N110 million for water intervention in Kaduna and Kano states. The money was later captured in the 2016/2017 budget.

    The water intervention project was the construction of solar powered boreholes in communities in line with the demands of Sustainable Development Goal-SIX (SDG 6).

    In Kaduna, Sabon Gida, Gonin Gora, Ungwar Boro, Kudenda and Ungwar Yelwa in Chikun Local Government Area, and Hayin Dogo and Kofar Gaya in Zaria Local government areas were the beneficiaries.

    While in Kano, Danjaka in Bumai Kunchi LGA, Gwale and Kano Municipal were beneciaries.

    It’s 2020 now and it seems the N110 million was either mismanaged or sqandered by the lawmakers in charge using contractors as fronts.

    TNG visited Ugwan boro in Kaduna and Kofar Gaya in Zaria still in Kaduna state and the only water facilities there are those built by the state government. “Governor Nasir Elrufai in 2017 was forced to award a water project contract in the whole of Zaria and environs due to the hardships citizens are facing as a result of absence of potable water” Abdulraman Mohammed a Zaria resident told TNG.

    Before going to Zaria, Sabon Tasha in Chukun local government the largest settlement very close to the Kaduna metropolis was visited by TNG. Sabo as it is fondly called is made up of many communities including Ungwa boro, one of the beneficiaries of the water constituency contract. At the moment residents of Agwan boro depend on water vendors who buy and sell to them from private boreholes. One of the residents a restaurant owner who pleaded anonymity told TNG she has heard nothing about constituency projects. The only water project contract she heard of was the ones awarded by the state government.

    TNG ran into some activists who also made case for the deplorable state of educational system in the state with reference to Sabo.

    Government Day Secondary School Sabon Tasha Kaduna popularly called “Day Sabo” remains in a sorry state. All students in the school sit on barefloor to learn. Same with LEA Primary school Chikaji where students seat on barefloor and teachers use charcoal to teach.

    After so many reports and plea from concerned persons to the Kaduna state government, the school is still not a place to learn as students in hundreds seat on bare floor having lessons.

    TNG was led by an old student of the school now an activist Victor Bobai who was almost in tears while complaining of government’s negligence of his alma-mata. “A healthy learning environment in schools is only possible when students and teachers are provided with adequate facilities…” Mr Bobai said.

    “These are weaker structures and very horrible facilities , students don’t have seats…. This shows deliberate negligence on the part of government…. He added.

    “Day Sabo” is one of the oldest secondary schools in the state. Sabon Tasha is also one of the hybrow areas within Kaduna metropolis, it hosts the Federal Polytechnic’s (KADUNA POLY) faculty of Administration as well as the famous Kaduna Oil refinery and of course the NNPC staff quarters. Aside from this, a lot of private sector investments are situated within Sabon Tasha, this makes the existence of such delapidated schools strange.

    “I want to use this opportunity to bring to the notice of my friends and well wishers that, GDSS Sabon Tasha in Chikun LGA of Kaduna state, Nigeria is in a pitiable condition and to also use this medium to appeal that attention be paid towards the rehabilitation of this school. The experience of these students here is disheartening because almost all the classrooms are not in good condition for learning of which they (students) feel very uncomfortable in paying good attention to learning. Majority of these students sit on the floor while receiving lectures. Even the staff room and Principal office are not excluded as these rooms are flooded when it rains.” Bobai said.

    He extended his plea to his classmates and other old students to intervene in any way they can.

    KANO

    A state with 44 local government councils, Kano can boost of having the highest number of Lawmakers in Nigeria. But this is not reflecting in the lives of it’s constituents. The communities visited by TNG also complained of negligence. Gwale one of the beneciaries of the water constituency project now depends on a greenish abandoned dam which was constructed in place of the proposed solar powered borehole.

    Another village called Gada was visited by TNG. Gada is the last village in Kano sharing border with Jigawa state. The three communities that makes up Gada Village depend on only one primary school with 3 classes and a nomadic school situated under a tree.

    The three communities has only one functional borehole. TNG approached the community leader Malam Musa Sanusi who narrated how policititians mostly lawmakers use to come during campaigns and play over their intelligence. “….You see this Poles? They have been mounted for 10years. The day they brought these poles they told us we will get electricity in two weeks…this is 10 years now noting has happened….our children seat under trees to learn…..” Sanusi said. Asked whether he has contact with his representative at National level, “….the last time we saw him was during campaigns Sanusi said.

    JIGAWA.

    Kiyawa local government was the last place TNG visited to track the alleged scam surrounding constituency funds meant for the purchase of Motorcycles for youths. It could be recalled that in late 2017, the sum of N116million was released as constituency funds from the executive. The money was awarded for social interventions contract in Gombe, Benue and Jigawa. Kiyawa LGA in Jigawa was the direct beneficiary. TNG met a couple of youths and motorcycle operators in Kiyawa who narrated their knowledge about the contract. “There was a scam, the money was released but there was a scam….” Isah Bala one of the leaders of Motorcycles operators in Kiyawa told TNG. Bala added that one Hamza Barau was the one given the contract of the purchase of Motorcycles to Kiyawa people but unfortunately he didn’t execute the contract. He said Mr Barau has so far been taken to court.

    All these continuous squandering of constituency funds in Nigeria has continued to cause serious pains and affliction for the citizens as seen in Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has been engaged in naming and shaming politicians engaged in the act of not executing Constituency projecs, It is hoped that this will encourage the Media, the Human right community as well as the civil society communities to do same.

  • COVID-19: FG seeks National Assembly’s approval for N500bn Intervention Fund

    COVID-19: FG seeks National Assembly’s approval for N500bn Intervention Fund

    The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed on Saturday met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it with an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

    Mrs Zainab, with senior officials from her ministry, held the meeting with the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

    The meeting which held at the National Assembly was also attended by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase and some other principal officers from both Chambers.

    The meeting was a follow-up to the one held last week Wednesday between the National Assembly leadership and members of the Presidential Committee which was set up for the management of the COVID-19 crisis.

    “What we are proposing is an establishment of a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund,” the minister told the parliamentary leaders.

    “This Fund that we are proposing, that should be created, will involve mopping up resources from various special accounts that the government as well as the Federation have, to be able to pull this N500 billion,” the minister said.

    Zainab Ahmed said, in addition to the identified special accounts from where the money will be drawn as loans, the proposed intervention fund is also expected to be sourced from grants being expected and loans from multilateral Institutions.

    “Our general view is that this crisis intervention fund is to be utilised to upgrade healthcare facilities as earlier identified.

    “The Federal Government also needs to be in a position to improve health care facilities not only in the states but to provide intervention to the states,” Mrs Ahmed said.

    She explained to the lawmakers that the Fund, if approved, will also take care of special Public Work Programmes currently being implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    “We know that there will be a need for the parliament to agree and approve the taking of loans from these special accounts and we will be coming back with a proposed bill in that regard that will define what the fund will be used for,” the minister said.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Senate President said the meeting was in fulfilment of an earlier promise to provide support as the need arises in this time of crisis.

    “Just like we told Nigerians, when there is need for us to meet or to take legislative action in support of ensuring that the government responds appropriately to developments issues and challenges in the country, we will do so.

    “This meeting, the second in the series after we shut down the National Assembly for two weeks, is a clear testimony of what we have said.

    “Governance requires that we work together, so we want to listen to those things that you have on your side and how we can also play our constitutional role in ensuring that Nigerians continue to benefit from governance and how we are able to weather the storm created by COVID-19.

    “Going forward, we need to interact more because very fundamental decisions will need be taken, and these decisions can only be said to be constitutionally legal if the legislature gives its stamp of authority for the executive to implement and execute.

    “I think coming to us for those loans is critical because we are in an emergency and time is of essence. So, we must work as expeditiously as possible to ensure that we place the request before the National Assembly.

    “I think time has come for us to redefine the implementation of the Social Intervention Programme, probably going out to communities to give them N20,000 per person might not be the best way to go. It is still an effort, but I think we need a better approach that will be more efficient,” Lawan said.

  • Coronavirus: Clerk shuts National Assembly

    Coronavirus: Clerk shuts National Assembly

    The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori on Tuesday ordered the closure of the Complex for the next two weeks.

    Sani-Omolori in a circular in Abuja, said the shut down which is part of measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will affect all staff except those on essential duties.

    He however urged the staff to remain within Abuja as they could be recalled at any time.

    Sani-Omolori said: “The Leadership of both Houses of the National Assembly, in consultation with the Management of the National Assembly, has noted with concern, the rising incidence of COVID-19 and therefore, the need to put in place, effective measures to curtail the possible incidence and spread of the disease in the National Assembly.

    “Earlier today (Tuesday), both Houses adjourned plenary till 7th April, 2020.

    “In furtherance of the above objectives, the following measures are being put in place:

    “(a) all Staff, including Legislative Aides, other than those enumerated in paragraph 2(b) are directed to remain at home with effect from Wednesday, 25th March. 2020, for an initial period of two (2) weeks, subject to review;

    “(b) The following categories of staff are exempted from the measure contained in paragraph 2 (a) above:

    “(i) Clerks of the two Chambers and Secretaries to the Directorates; (ii) All Directors/Heads of Departments: (iii) Identified essential staff covering Medical, Security and

    Utility services; and

    “(iv) Any other staff that might be needed from time to time as will be indicated by the Clerks of the two Chambers and Secretaries to the Directorates.

    “All Staff of the National Assembly are hereby directed to remain within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as any staff needed will be summoned to the Office. I wish to add that failure to heed to this directive will attract sanctions.

    “By this Circular, all Banks. Restaurants and other Business outfits within the National Assembly Complex are to close for the period.

    1. In the meantime, all Legislators and Staff are requested to strictly adhere to professional advice from the Honourable Minister of Health,the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force for the Control of COVID -19.

    “You are also enjoined to maintain personal hygiene and to report suspicious cases/symptoms of COVlD-19 around you to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on 0800970000-10.

    “The Secretary, Health Services Directorate of the National Assembly, Dr. Sani Sanusi has also established a Helpline for emergency contacts on 08055588663.”

  • Lawan holds emergency meeting over security threat to NASS

    Lawan holds emergency meeting over security threat to NASS

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan has called on the nation’s heads of security agencies to tighten security at the National Assembly to avert any security breach.

    Lawan said he had received a report of security threats to the seat of parliament and such cannot be taken for granted.

    A statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, said Lawan spoke at an emergency meeting of the Senate leadership with top security officials at the National Assembly Abuja.

    The statement said those at the meeting included the DSS Director-General and representatives of the Defence, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), fire service and other security agencies.

    At the meeting, Lawan said: “Personally, I have a report from the Department of State Services (DSS) that we had a security threat. Many unknown and uninvited people came or are coming into the National Assembly complex and we felt we shouldn’t take this lightly.

    “From today, we have to find temporary solutions to support the security arrangement here. We will find a more permanent solution by the time the entire environment is remodelled.”

    Lawan said the security of all Nigerians is a collective responsibility of the legislative and executive arms of government.

    “We are working hard; we are working round the clock. We have a very active ad hoc committee that is already engaging with the security agencies.

    “As principal officers of the National Assembly, or let me say in the Senate, in this respect, our responsibility and obligation is to ensure that our senators, members of the House of Representatives, workers of the National Assembly, our visitors and indeed all those who have a lawful business to do in this National Assembly are safe.

    “For a very long time, this National Assembly will always have people who have no business coming here.

    “With the heightening insecurity in the country, the time has come for this National Assembly to be properly secured for its members to carry out their legislative and other functions under a very safe atmosphere.

    “Of course, our workers and our visitors too. What that means is that if someone has no business here, that person shouldn’t be in the National Assembly.

    “Because we are a parliament, we are a place or an institution where our constituents who feel very strongly about any issue can come and express their opinions.

    “Some will come for protests; some will attend public hearings in the committee rooms. Some will visit the gallery; or, in some cases, even enter the chamber when allowed to do so.

    “So, we want everybody, as far as the security of this National Assembly complex is concerned, to be at his place. Those who work here directly with us, the security agencies know what we are talking about.”From the gate, people who shouldn’t be here at all, find themselves in. And then people come in, moving from one office to another, looking for nothing because they have no appointment with anyone. Yet, they pass through all the security systems that we have in place,” he added.

  • 2020 Budget: Ahmad Lawan ignites hope in National Assembly and Nigeria, By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    2020 Budget: Ahmad Lawan ignites hope in National Assembly and Nigeria, By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

     

    The ninth Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made history on Thursday, December 5, with the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill into law, thereby fulfilling the promise of the legislature to return the budget cycle to January – December period as it used to be.

    Until few years after the return to democracy in 1999, Nigerians had become used to the January to December budget cycle such that individuals, businesses and corporations plan their activities in line with the cycle, but the ritual was distorted due largely to disagreement between the legislature and the executive, resulting in not only late presentation of the budget, but late passage and assent by the president.

    The situation of late passage of the budget got to its peak during the 8th National Assembly particularly because of the uneasy relationship which resulted in incessant friction between the Presidency and the Bukola Saraki led National Assembly.

    The 2019 budget, for example, was presented to the National Assembly on December 19, 2018. It took the legislature a little over four months before it was passed into law on April 30, 2019 and assented to by the President on May 27, 2019. The injection of projects, particularly those to be executed in the constituencies of the lawmakers, was partly responsible for the delay. In exercise of their powers of appropriation as expressed in the 1999 Constitution in Section 80, Subsections 1- 4, the legislators inserted their constituency projects into the budget. The President, on the other hand, kicked against the insertions, subjected the passed budget to almost a month of vetting to sort out the grey areas, thereby delaying presidential assent.

    The resultant effect of development like this as we have seen with many budgets is the incalculable harm to the economy. Infrastructure projects, which catalyse economic development, suffer the most and as this happens, the welfare of the people take a plunge.

    The passage of the 2020 budget by the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday has however brought renewed hopes in the National Assembly and Nigeria. Upon assuming the mantle of leadership of the National Assembly, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, vowed to return the country to the January – December budget cycle. To achieve this, several parleys were held between the Presidency and principal officers of the National Assembly, the result of which culminated in the presentation of the budget on October 8.

    The Senate President took it further by mandating the standing committees of the ninth Senate, with concurrence from the House of Representatives, to use the remaining period in the month of October to carry out the defence of the budget by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Lawan’s resolve further received a boost with the directive by the President that all heads of MDAs must not travel out of the country until they have successfully defended their respective budget. The National Assembly Complex thus became a sort of Mecca as heads of the various MDAs trooped in to take turns. The various committees dutifully carried out their assignment, most times worked very late in the night and presented their reports to the Appropriation Committee, which in turn played its own role before the eventual presentation and subsequent passage of the budget by the Senate on December 5, 2019.

    Before the passage of the 2020 budget, the Ahmad Lawan led National Assembly had already taken the initiative to ensure that the implementation of the budget does not go the way of previous ones. It is common knowledge that the budgets of precious years have witnessed abysmal performance and much of this is critically affected by the poor revenue inflow, especially as oil production and export remained below the Budget estimates and the general performance of the economy impacting negatively on non-oil revenue. But desirous of significantly putting an end to this ugly trend, the Ahmad Lawan-led-Senate had before now passed three critical bills that would not only see to the generation of more revenues, but will also ensure that the process of implementing the budget, especially its capital components are fast tracked and the desired results achieved.

    The first among the three critical bills is the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act (amendment) Bill, passed into law on October 15 with the expectation of making Nigeria richer by at least $1.5bn in 2020. According to the Senate, the IOCs had failed to remit a total sum of N7trn ($21bn) to the Federal Government in the last 26 years based on non-implementation of the PSC Act. This was even when the law provided for a review anytime the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel or every 10 years since the passage of the law which successive government and the legislature failed to do until the coming of the ninth Senate under the able leadership of Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan.

    It is therefore a landmark achievement by the ninth National Assembly as an additional injection of $1.5bn to the national treasury in 2020 as a result of the amendment of the act can only mean one thing – more revenue for the provision of critical infrastructure across the country.

    Next is the Finance Bill, 2019, presented alongside the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly. One of the key components of the amended bill is to increase government revenues through various measures part of which include widening the tax base for non-resident companies, increase in Value Added Tax from 5% to 7.5% and removing the tax exemption granted for dividends or incomes received from companies charged under Petroleum Profits Tax Act.

    Equally important is the passage of the amendment to the Public Procurement Act. According to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the “public procurement process in Nigeria has been a big bottleneck for some time probably since it was passed.” This is one reason why many projects earmarked for execution in a budget cycle are never achieved because of the processes involved, but as a result of the several provisions included in the amendment, the procurement process will become more simplified and easily achieved.

    With the three critical bills put together and the return of the budget cycle from January-December, the road is now clearer to actualise the objectives of the 2020 budget with an early start and more revenues to implement Infrastructure projects that will catalyse economic development and take Nigeria to the next level. Senate President Ahmad Lawan justified this in his remark after the passage of the 2020 appropriations bill when he said “With the recent passage of landmark legislations such as the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act, Finance Bills & Public Procurement Bills by the National Assembly, the Executive arm of government is now sufficiently empowered to ensure successful implementation of the 2020 Budget.”

    It is therefore safe to say that Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan has delivered on his promise of an early passage of the budget and by extension leading a National Assembly that works for Nigerians.

     

     

    Abubakar Sidiq Usman

    Special Assistant on New Media

    Office of the President of the Senate

     

  • (TNG Analysis) Nigeria’s Praise and Worship National Assembly

    (TNG Analysis) Nigeria’s Praise and Worship National Assembly

     

     

    …hero worshiping now dominates legislative business

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The ninth Assembly is fast becoming a praise and worship centre devoid of miracles and the usual casting out of evil spirits.

    From all indications it may soon start casting out demons or insert demonic clauses in the act of law making.

    The opposition leader in the Senate, Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe aptly captured it when he described the Senate presentation of the 2020 Budget as a praise and worship affair.

    This is definitely an unsual Assembly where presiding officers are praised to high heavens before a Lawmaker makes his submission.

    In the House of Representatives, the opposition leadership are guilty of same offence.

    The party less opposition leader Hon Ndudi Elumelu has adopted an unusual style of praising the speaker and if given the opportunity he would even dance before making his submission.

    In most cases, he starts by describing the presiding officer as the most humble Nigerian and most respected lawmaker probably in the whole world before making his submissions.

    It’s unfortunate that the leader of the opposition who is expected to lead his members to a connotative warfare is already praise singing the leader on the other side.

    If the APC/ACN lawmakers in the 7th Assembly had adopted same style probably by now they would have remained in opposition.

    The legislature played a significant role to bring the PDP to its knees before the 2015 general Elections.

    Little wonder, the All Progressives Congress, APC called on Nigerians to start looking for another credible opposition party.

    An opposition that could weather the storm as the ACN under the leadership of Femi Gbajabiamila in the 7th Assembly tried and eventually succeeded.

    Can the present crop of praise singing opposition members dare to voice all what Gbajabiamila dared in the 6th and 7th Assemblies?

    The answer is a capital NO! as the present opposition particularly in the House is lilly livered.

    An opposition that dines and wines with the ruling party can’t make any meaningful delivery.

    In the 7th Assembly, apparently disappointed by the then government on its economic policies, Gbajabiamila had threatened to shut down Government and even went a step further to say opposition would start throwing articles of impeachment if nothing was done.

    Other lawmakers have adopted same approach to deliver their presentations by praise singing presiding officers.

    Most guilty is the Mouth piece of the House, Hon Benjamin Kalu who has continued in the most embarrassing manner to other lawmakers.

    His style to say the least is the manner he makes his presentation praising his presiding officer to high heavens though he copiously copied the style from the opposition leader.

    Must Kalu bow and tremble to ensure his bill or motion scales through if he does not praise his presiding officer?

    In the Senate, there’s a tacit law which says anything from Mr President must fly even if the request is to turn a man to a woman.

    The Senate President too had told whoever cares that Mr President can never send anything that would hurt Nigerians.

    So Nigerians can now understand why they must pay more for VAT, more bank open and hidden charges.

    Anything goes in the Senate provided it was sent by the executive since it’s believed that whatever comes from there can never be harmful to Nigerians.

    The many loan requests too are not harmful to Nigerians so Nigerians can swallow all the bitter pills provided it is proven that it’s from Mr President.

    It’s becoming and unbecoming of the legislature in Nigeria because you can’t be forcing bitter pills through the throats of Nigerians when the cost of living is fast becoming a nightmare.

    Our lawmakers should wake up to their duties and squarely face legislative business rather than turning our chambers to praise and worship centres.

  • National Assembly slashes over 3000 legislative aides’ salaries

    The National Assembly has reduced the salaries and allowances of over 3,000 legislative aides in its employ.

    The aides, who work under 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives, started receiving their letters of appointments last June while some are still expecting theirs.

    According to a report by The Nation, several aides who got their appointment letters from the National Assembly Service Commission between June and August have been directed to return the letters and collect fresh ones reflecting sharp reductions in their salaries.

    The fresh letters being issued to the appointees indicate reductions in the annual basic salaries of the legislative aides, ranging from about N500,000 to N1,000,000, from their annual basic salaries.

    For instance, a legislative aide on Grade Level 13 who was issued a ‘Letter of Appointment’ on August 1, this year, had N3.3 million as his annual basic salary, but a new ‘Letter of Appointment’ dated September 12 indicated that the salary of the same Grade Level is now N2.6 million per annum – a shortfall of N700,000.

    Some of the affected legislative aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that several billions from the National Assembly’s N125 billion budgetary allocation for this year may have been committed to contracts.

    The expenditure, they said, included refurbishment of offices with items like photocopiers, computers, printers and refrigerators, which were sold to members of the Eighth National Assembly.

    They said the National Assembly was also working to provide new official cars for all legislators who resumed last June.

    A source said: “The management never bothered about the scope of contracts being given out for replacement of several items, including office furniture that are still in near-mint condition. We reliably gathered that billions have been committed to these projects.

    “It usually takes about one year before any set of legislative aides come together and elect leaders under the banner of the National Assembly Legislative Aides’ Forum (NASSLAF). The National Assembly knows that we are more or less in disarray, without a united voice, especially now that many newcomers are still waiting for their employment letters.

    “Nonetheless, arrangements are in top gear for more billions to be expended on settlement of car supply contracts and the huge insurance packages that go with it as well as other humongous welfare items.”

  • Don Jazzy slams FG over National Assembly budget

    Micheal Ajereh a.k.a Don Jazzy has slammed the Federal government over the disparity between the budget of the National Assembly and that of the education sector.
    Don Jazzy stated that the allocation for the National Assembly in Nigeria is ludicrous.

     

    The music mogul made this known on Tuesday, September 24, 2019, while reacting to a post shared on Twitter by a popular statistics page, BudgITng.

     

    BudgITng had shared a post about the large disparity between the National Assembly budget and that of the education ministry.
    “Thanks @BudgITngThere are 469 legislative seats in the National Assembly. Can someone make me understand why these legislators need many aides to work for them and why they should be on the govt’s payroll? How long should we continue spending on inessentials? #Voiceofthedon,” Don Jazzy tweeted.

     

     

    It didn’t end there as he went on to condemn the federal government over its failure in to improve the educational system because of the position of Nigerian universities in rankings of top schools in Africa.
    “That’s the reason why Nigerian universities are not even amongst Africa top 10. Our giant of Africa na mouth,” he added.
    The revered showbiz personality has joined the league of Nigerian celebs who have become very vocal about the attitude of the government towards economic development.

     

     

  • N5.5bn vehicles: Outcry unnecessary, insult to National Assembly – Senate Leader

    N5.5bn vehicles: Outcry unnecessary, insult to National Assembly – Senate Leader

    The Ninth Senate has dismissed the public outcry over the N5.5 billion allocated for the purchase of vehicles for lawmakers in the 2019 budget, regarding it as an “insult”.

    The Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, said it is highly insulting that some public commentators are criticising and kicking against the allocation for the purchase of the vehicles which was part of the N125 billion appropriation of the National Assembly.

    “To say that a senator of the Federal Republic cannot ride a jeep in Nigeria is an insult.”, Abdullahi said during an interview with journalists in his office at the National Assembly.

    Criticism followed the plan by the Ninth National Assembly to purchase Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for each of the 469 federal lawmakers at a total cost amounting to N5.5 billion.

    This move has resulted in litigation by some concerned citizens and social crusaders led by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

    According to Senator Abdullahi, there is nothing for anybody to cry over as far as the plan is concerned because a serving senator and members of the House of Representatives deserve to have official vehicles in the mode of a functional utility vehicle or Jeep.

    “The N5.5 billion is from the National Assembly funds and not money being sought from any other source. Besides, the scheme as it has always been with previous assemblies, is a monetised one, requiring each of the lawmakers to pay back the cost of whatever vehicle is given to them.

    “The outcry over it is very unnecessary and insulting to the institution of the National Assembly and status of the federal lawmakers. When I was a permanent secretary, I know what ministers get; we cannot even compare ourselves with ministers because we are higher than the ministers.” He said.

    Enforcing his stance, he said, “Go and tell the people that the work that we do, is more than the work of ministers and as representatives of the people, the money we spend on daily basis on all forms of indigent people, far outweighs whatever they as ministers or executive officers spend.”

    He added that both chambers of the National Assembly would be willing to engage any group of people in the polity on its operations and spending in line with the principles of accountability and transparency the National Assembly represented.

    “Each of the ministers move in convoy of three to four utility vehicles without anybody raising any eyebrow while some people who either as a result of ignorance or mischief, always cry to high heavens anytime the management of the National Assembly wants to buy just one utility vehicle for a lawmaker on the template of monetisation,” he stated.

    Sen. Abdullahi then commended the executive on the 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), the basis upon which the 2020 budget proposals will be presented next month by President Muhammadu Buhari in moving the yearly budgetary cycle from May/ June as it is presently to January to December every year

  • JUST IN: Panic as fire guts committee room at National Assembly

    A minor fire outbreak was on Friday reported in one of the committee rooms at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.

    The incident occurred inside committee room 322 at the House of Representatives building.

    According to reports, the fire was put out by security personnel, who were on the ground to prevent it from spreading to other offices.

    The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as at the time of this report and no casualty was reported.