Shehu Sani, Senator representing
Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly has revealed he and
his colleagues received N13.5 million monthly as running cost.
The revelation by the Senator was
the first time a member of the National Assembly will confirm speculations that
Nigerian senators are earning N41.5 million quarterly as a running cost.
The Kaduna Senator who made the
revelation in an interview he granted to TheNEWS magazine said the running cost
was in addition to the over N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances
of each member of the Senate.
The Senator said, “I think what
we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month,”
the Senator said in response to the question on alleged bogus salaries and
allowances of Nigerian lawmakers.
According to him, while there is
no specific instruction on what the fund should be used for, lawmakers must
provide receipts to back up their expenses from the running costs. He added that the running cost is in addition
to funds earmarked for each senator for constituency projects.
“But what I am saying is that
that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it.
But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is
N750,000.00.
“The constituency project itself
is given on a zonal basis and almost every Senator will go with a constituency
fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.
“You will be told that you have
N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit
projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that
will go and do those projects for you.
“Now, the corruption comes when
the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is
difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it.
They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used.
“So, it’s becoming difficult for
what used to happen in the past to happen now.
“But I can tell you that I would
love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and
leaves senators and members of House of Reps with salaries.
‘And also, the public should be
informed that nobody should come to any senator’s house asking for any kobo.
That also would be helpful.
“There are issues that we need to
understand. First, I don’t believe that members of the National or even state
assemblies should be involved in carrying out what is called constituency
projects.
“When people are elected into the
National Assembly, they should just be involved in law making, raising motions,
bills and also performing oversight functions. But we live in a society where
people cannot differentiate between the legislators and the executive.
“When the people come to you,
they want you to build roads, dig boreholes, build hospitals, schools, give
money, pay school fees for them. Now, if we have a society in which people will
stop asking legislators to do those things, then there is no need (for the
allowances) But funny enough, if you are very active in the National Assembly
in making laws and you don’t embark on projects in your constituency, you
cannot in any way be appreciated by the people you are there to serve because
the electorates in United States are different from the electorates in the
United States and Africa.
“We live in an underdeveloped
society with a lot of poverty, misery and wants. What people want is for you to
address those basic fundamental issues that affects their lives.
“If we can be done with that, it
would be okay. Now, you are talking of bogus salaries and bogus allowances –
there are three steps you need to consider – the first has to do with the fact
when you represent the people, expectations arose from your immediate and the
larger constituencies.
“But I agree with you that the
salaries and allowances of lawmakers should not be discreet, but what is
discreet about it when you can write to Resource and Fiscal Mobilization
Commission to get everything about what a senator earns?
“The only money you are not
expected to account for is your salary and the salary of a senator is about
N750, 000.00 per month. The other one, the running cost of office must be
accounted for. You must provide a receipt for every expense you make."
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ReplyDeleteSANNI SHOULD RAISE A MOTION FOR THAT.
ReplyDeleteTHAT WILL BE ON RECORD AND AIRED ON MEDIA STATION.
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