NASS: Senate Defends N70bn ‘Largesse’

Senator Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu has clarified the N70 billion allocated to the National Assembly in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation bill sent last week to the parliament by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The allocation generated furore among not a few Nigerians who described it as largesse to the lawmakers for quick approval of the financial request from the president.

More controversy was generated after the lawmakers hurriedly passed the N819 billion  Supplementary Appropriation Bill received from the president.

According to the breakdown, N500 billion was earmarked for Fuel subsidy Palliatives, N185 billion for rehabilitation of roads impacted by floods; N192 billion for fixing farmlands damaged by floods; N35 billion for National Judicial Commission(NJC); N10 billion for Federal Capital Territory projects and N70 billion for the  National Assembly.

For instance, a group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, described the allocation to be insensitive to the plight of many Nigerians, calling on NASS to immediately repeal the Act.

The appropriation, SERAP said does not “reflect the current economic realities in the country and address the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy on the over 137 million poor Nigerians.”

The lawmakers however insist that the fund is required for the repair of the NASS complex and the purchase of vehicles and other logistics, particularly for new members of NASS.

Justifying the appropriation at the weekend Adaramodu, the Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs said the NASS complex needs immediate ‘exigent attention’.

According to the statement he issued, the Senate spokesman described the allegation as ‘spurious and inaccurate’ adding that the NASS will not join issues with mischief makers in the performance of their functions.

He explained that some lawmakers have brought their tables, chairs, and other things from home in order to be able to work, adding that those accusing the lawmakers of padding the budget for their own selfishness are only trying to destroy the image of NASS.

The statement reads: “After the passage of the Supplementary Budget to accommodate funding for Federal Government’s palliatives for the Nigerian public, among other urgent national demands, the socio-political space has been inundated with spurious, inaccurate and irreverent misinterpretations.

“Suffice to say that the passage is part of the absolute constitutional duty of the Senate. We would, therefore, not wish to join issues with the mischief and misrepresentation that a portion of the just passed Amendment Act that appropriated N70 billion was a ‘gift’ to the Legislators.

“Many Senators had to bring their chairs, tables and electronics and in many cases, do sundry repairs.

“The so-much debated allocation will not be paid to any Legislator. This will be managed by the National Assembly’s bureaucracy.

“It’s pertinent to also note that the National Assembly complex does not house only the Legislators. There are thousands of workers and service providers, whose working environment needs a face-lift, and/with necessary tools.

“Since the Assembly complex is not owned by legislators who are merely political birds of passage, such allocation cannot be termed by anyone as a palliative to the legislators.

“The alleged padding of the palliative budget by the National Assembly only exists in the minds of those who are all out to discredit the 10th Assembly. There is nothing like padding as being alleged.”

“The National Assembly is the soul of democracy and the 10th Senate shall join hands with other arms of government and forward-looking Nigerians to sing new songs of progress, development, safety and all-round economic recovery and growth,” Adaramodu said.

In spite of his defence, not a few Nigerians insist that it’s wrong for the lawmakers to continue to live large on the meagre resource of the country, particularly now that the federal government has introduced a slew of austerity measures to Nigerians because of the paucity of funds in the country.

Nigerians cannot be suffering while government officials are living ostentatious lifestyles, critics of the administration said.