By NASS<\/p>\n
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged
\nPresident of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of
\nRepresentatives Mr Yakubu Dogara to persuade their members to voluntarily
\nreturn running costs and other allowances so far collected, and now
\ndeclared as illegal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal
\nCommission (RMAFC), and to use any returned funds to establish a trust
\nfund to improve investment in education and health.<\/p>\n
The RMAFC yesterday declared as illegal the N13.5 million each senator
\nreportedly collects monthly as running cost. Each member of the House of
\nRepresentatives also reportedly collects N10 million monthly as running
\ncost. According to the commission, the payment is not covered by the
\nCertain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and
\nAllowances) (Amendments) Act 2008 governing emoluments of political office
\nholders in the country.<\/p>\n
Reacting, SERAP in a statement by its deputy director Timothy Adewale
\nsaid: Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the National
\nAssembly cannot use its appropriation power for personal gain of
\nlawmakers. The revelation that the National Assembly unilaterally
\nincreased their own allowances and running costs without any regard to due
\nprocess of law constitutes a flagrant abuse of governmental powers for
\npersonal gain.<\/p>\n
According to the organization, The National Assembly would never be able
\nto check abuses of power by the executive or perform important oversight
\nfunctions if the lawmakers are looking after themselves rather than
\nstanding up for the citizens.<\/p>\n
The statement read in part: A trust fund can supply health aid,
\neducational support, economic empowerment, dignity and overall improved
\nsocial welfare of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors of the
\npopulation. This proposed trust fund can serve as one of the strategies
\nfor addressing the escalating crisis in our educational and health
\nsectors, something which Bill Gates has discussed with the Nigerian
\nauthorities.
\nLegislative powers are a means; the end is the liberty and prosperity of
\nthe citizens. The leadership of the National Assembly should therefore
\nensure that our lawmakers are more sensitive to the needs of Nigerians in
\nthe exercise of their legislative powers and that the powers are used to
\nimprove opportunities for the citizens, and access to quality education
\nand adequate health for all Nigerians regardless of socio-economic
\nstatus.
\nTo check against corruption, the leadership of the National Assembly
\nshould also urgently put in place a system of publishing an account of
\nreceipts and expenditures of members including on constituency projects,
\nrunning costs and other allowances. Nigerians who pay the lawmakers ought
\nto know in what manner the funds for the operation of the National
\nAssembly are expended.
\nSaraki and Dogara should take immediate steps to ensure the recovery and
\nvoluntary return of the dirty money, if they are to ensure that the
\nConstitution’s integrity is not undermined by the evasion of political and
\nlegal accountability by the National Assembly. The trust funds would
\ncontribute to the efforts to improve investment in education and health
\nfor the greatest happiness of the greatest number.
\nWithout accountability of our lawmakers, the countrys democratic project
\ncannot function according to its constitutional design. By limiting the
\npotential for the abuse of governmental power, the Nigerian Constitution
\nprotects individual liberty and requires all branches of government
\nincluding the National Assembly to strive to improve their welfare and
\neconomic and social development and opportunities.
\nThe Framers of the Constitution deemed this information essential if
\nNigerians are to exercise any control over their representatives and meet
\ntheir growing responsibilities as citizens. Publication of statement of
\naccounts of public expenditures would enhance the responsibility of the
\nNational Assembly by informing the public about the purposes and authority
\nfor certain expenditures.
\nIt would be recalled that RMAFC said only the National Assembly Service
\nCommission could explain how the senators came to be paid such an
\nunapproved allowance. The commissions clarification was contained in a
\nstatement by its spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed.<\/p>\n
By NASS Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr Yakubu Dogara to persuade their…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n