Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, and Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives, have been challenged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project to provide the ‘exact amount of monthly running, costs’ payable to National Assembly members.
The group then asked that the leaders submit a report detailing the ‘spending details of any such running costs.’
Viztadaily News Online was able to secure a copy of a statement dated August 17, 2024, which was signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, the Deputy Director of SERAP.
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The recent debate over each senator’s ‘jumbo pay’ has given rise to SERAP’s request.
Senators are paid N750,000 in salary plus an additional N13.5 million for operational expenses each month, according to a former senator named Shehu Sani.
A contention refuted by the Fiscal Commission and Revenue Mobilization Allocation Commission.
The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and the nation’s international commitments, SERAP clarified in the statement,
that the purpose of their appeal was to ‘promptly end the alleged practice by the National Assembly of fixing its salaries, allowances, and running costs.’
In addition, SERAP suggested that the NASS leaders stop the ‘alleged practice of paying running costs into the personal accounts of lawmakers’ and that any ‘alleged misuse or mismanagement of the running costs’ ought to be reported to the relevant anti-corruption organizations for examination and legal action.
We are worried about parliamentarians’ practices of fixing their salary, allowances, and operating expenditures, as well as the opacity of these practices,’ the statement said in part. in the millions of naira that legislators spent on overhead.
Legislators must uphold accountability and transparency on the precise amounts of their salary, benefits, and operating expenses as part of their constitutional oath of office.
‘The National Assembly is not authorized to set its own salaries, allowances, or operating expenses. This is due to paragraph N, section 32(d) of the Nigerian Constitution.’
According to SERAP, proper accountability and the return of any ‘misused or mismanaged running costs collected by’ NASS members would ‘build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law,’
Enabling legislators to carry out their duties in accordance with the constitution and other laws, among other things.
The statement went on, saying that Nigerians have a right to examine how their legislators spend their Commonwealth funds and taxation.
The honest and faithful performance of public officials, especially parliamentarians, is another entitlement that Nigerians possess.
Additionally, it is abundantly evident from the accusations that the members are abusing their trusted public positions.
People would have more faith in the National Assembly’s honesty and integrity if the MPs’ alleged habit of adjusting their own salary, benefits, and operating expenses was stopped.
Under your direction, the Senate and House of Representatives would demonstrate that they are able to put more emphasis on serving Nigerians’ interests than on their own needs.
‘Within seven days of the receipt and/or publishing of this letter,’ the organization warned, failing to act on its recommendations will result in ‘necessary legal steps to compel you and other members of the National Assembly to grant our proposal in the best interests of the public.
Senator Sumaila Kawu, a member for Kano South, disclosed on Wednesday that his monthly take-home pay totals more over N21 million.
This information was made public less than twenty-four hours after the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission reported that the monthly pay and allowances of the 109 senators in the upper house equal N1.06 million.
‘My monthly salary is less than N1 million,’ Kawu stated. In the event of reductions, the salary amounts to roughly 600,000 Naira plus a small amount.
On Thursday, though, Kawu’s assertion was refuted by the Senate, which was represented by Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South).
