The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NASS

  • Reps to Obasanjo: You’re grandfather of corruption

    Reps to Obasanjo: You’re grandfather of corruption

    …Says he’s angry with NASS over Third Term

    The House of Representatives Thursday lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his statement that the National Assembly stinks.

    The lawmakers described him as the “grandfather of Corruption,” adding that he wants to bring down Buhari’s government and that he is “acting as lifetime opposition leader, blackmailer,”

    The former President while delivering a lecture at the first Akintola Williams Annual Lecture in Lagos on Wednesday had said the “National Assembly stinks and stinks to high heavens. It needs to be purged.”

    He also accused the Parliament of corruption and of operating a cabal “worse than any cabal that anybody may find anywhere in our national governance system at any time.”

    In a Press Conference by Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, Chairman, House Committee on Media & Publicity Thursday the Green Chamber spared no invective as it also said Obasanjo introduced corruption to National Assembly on its first day in 1999.

    His words: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at a lecture he delivered recently, wherein, in his characteristic manner accused everybody but himself of corruption.

    “He ventured to accuse the National Assembly of Budget padding, accused the House of criminal activities of threatening the life of a “whistleblower”, lampooned constituency projects which he approved as President, ventured to discuss the budget of National Assembly which is highly underfunded?

    In the speech Namdas said the House would ordinarily not join issues with the former President as he has held an office that deserves respect and reverence.

    “However, because of the material misstatement of facts, outright lies and falsehoods, and mischievous innuendo introduced in his statement, we are left with no option but to correct him.

    “We have repeatedly maintained that there was no “padding” of the 2016 Appropriation Act, which is a legitimate document passed by the National Assembly, authenticated by the Clerk to the National Assembly as provided in the Acts Authentication Act and assented to by Mr. President. It is most unfortunate that a former President of Chief Obasanjo’s stature would allow himself to be hoodwinked and procured by a renegade member of the House, who embarked on massive propaganda and lies just because he was removed from office.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, there is no crime that was committed by the National Assembly by exercising its constitutional function of appropriation. If Chief Obasanjo has an issue with the execution of the 2016 Budget or indeed other Appropriation Acts, he should direct his anger elsewhere.

    “He claimed that the National Assembly Budget is very high, when by all standards, the National Assembly is grossly underfunded and is hampered from effectively and legitimately carrying out its constitutionally assigned functions. The National Assembly Budget funds a bureaucracy of about 5,000 civil servants. It has some other agencies under its preview such as the National Assembly Service Commission with its own staff of about 500; even the Public Complaints Commission is now a parastatal of the National Assembly.

    “National Assembly Budget also funds the National Institute for Legislative Studies, which is a legislative think-tank and highly rated academic institution that serves both National and State Houses of Assembly and even international legislators. All these agencies also have their capital budget including development of their headquarters, procurement of office equipment, procurement of regular items for running their offices; the National Assembly maintain legislative aides of about 3,000 in number, that aid the work of the Assembly; it also conducts regular public hearings involving the media and stakeholders and oversight activities, involving huge sums of money.

    “The cost implication of running the National Assembly is high because of the nature of our Presidential democracy. Then of course, there are 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives that require proper equipment to function effectively. They require adequate travel and transport support to carry out legislative functions. The National Assembly also has buildings and offices to build and maintain. National Assembly staff and members attend conferences, trainings, seminars to keep abreast of legislative developments worldwide. The activities are very encompassing and expensive.

    “It is also unbecoming of a former President to quote figures of sums of money that are factually incorrect. No member of the House of Representatives receives N10m every month. The salaries and allowances of members of the House are as determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). Of course further sums of money are spent as running costs, that is, the cost of running the office of a member.

    “If a Minister, Chief Executive or Director in a Ministry travels on official duties, for instance, do you include the cost of his ticket and accommodation as part of his salary or allowances? Does the cost of stationeries and maintenance of equipment like computers used in their offices, form part of their salaries and allowances?

    “These are some of the costs that must be taken care of by the National Assembly and the media calls these costs “jumbo pay”. For goodness sake, the National Assembly is an arm of government, not just an ordinary agency of government.”

    The Reps Spokesman said Budget of many agencies in the Executive Branch are indeed higher than the current Budget of the National Assembly that is an arm of government.

    “Examples abound, CBN, NNPC, NCC etc. Allowances paid to even junior staff of some of these government agencies cannot be compared to what members of National Assembly enjoy.

    “Undoubtedly, the former President Obasanjo is understandably angry with the National Assembly as an institution having foiled his ambition for a third-term in office even after trying to corrupt the members with a bribe of at least N50m each. Lest we forget, the person who introduced corruption to the National Assembly is Chief Olesugn Obasanjo.

    “He birthed the 4th Republic National Assembly with corrupt practices from day one; indeed the first day of the Republic. He bribed both PDP, ANPP and AD legislators on their inauguration in 1999 to vote against the majority candidate of PDP, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. That was how Senator Evan Enwerem became Senate President.

    “Have we forgotten the sacks of money displayed on the floor of the House of Representatives being bribe money paid by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to some Honourable members to impeach Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ghali N’abba?

    “Have we forgotten that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo used his position as President to extort money from businessmen and contractors with his government to build his presidential library?

    “The list of his corrupt acts while in office is endless. Unquestionably, he is the greatest corrupt person ever to hold office in Nigeria. He remains the grandfather of corruption in Nigeria and lacks the moral authority to discuss corruption or indeed abuse of office in Nigeria as he remains the most corrupt Nigerian on record.

    “It is unfortunate that he has started his very familiar method of bringing down governments. He did it to Alhaji Shehu Shagari, he did it to Gen. Buhari, he did same to Gen. Babangida, he attempted to bring down Gen. Abacha before he imprisoned him for treason; he made frantic efforts to derail the government of President Ya’ardua when he couldn’t use him.

    “He supported President Goodluck Jonathan but when he refused to take dictation, he turned against him. He supported President Buhari, but since he has sensed that Nigeria is having economic difficulties under him, he has pounced to derail his government.

    “The way Chief Obasanjo talks gives the impression that he is a lifetime opposition leader who has never held any office. What did he do about the issues he raised in his 8 years as President?

    “This is a man with unlimited access to President Buhari. Or is it because he has not appointed all his cronies as requested? We may never know. His stuck in trade is blackmail, subversion and treachery.  We wish him well.”

  • NASS and the NLNG Act

    For over 30 years, many administrations struggled to attract foreign investors in the LNG sector. The enactment of the NLNG Decree (now an Act of the National Assembly) in 1989 eventually did the magic. Shareholders were so much at ease with its provisions that they quickly mobilised $6billion for the realization of what has now become a major force in the global liquefied natural gas market.

    The $6b of several years ago has led to an asset base of over $11billion. The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited has also generated over $90billion in revenues. Over $15billion has been paid to the Federal Government as dividends in the last 12 years. The company has also paid over $5.5billion as Companies Income Tax, Tertiary Education Tax, WHT, VAT and PAYE. Regulators’ levies and other fees have led to the company coughing out over N51billion.

    The NLNG has grown from one to a six-train operation, with a capacity of 22million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Its seventh train, which will bring up the production capacity to approximately 30 mtpa, is also in the works.

    The NLNG now manages 16 long term LNG Sale & Purchase Agreements (SPAs) entered into with 11 buyers on a Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis.  These buyers include Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Mexico and the United States of America.

    But, the success story of the NLNG is under threat, a very serious threat, if not stopped in its tract like previous ones. Today, the National Assembly is taking a vital step on the future of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited. It is set to take a major decision on its move to amend the NLNG Act. This move of the National Assembly is not new. Past sessions of the National Assembly also tried but the efforts were halted when their negative implications became apparent.

    The Act is a contract between the Federal Government and the NLNG shareholders. The thrusts of this contract include incentives, concessions, guarantees and assurances. All these were reaffirmed in Letters of Assurance to lenders for the Nigeria LNG Trains 4 and 5 expansions by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and the Central Bank.

    The incentives, concessions, guarantees and assurances are common in the global LNG industry. Qatar, Oman, Malaysia, Angola and others have used them to support and grow their LNG plants.

    The essence of the guarantees is to assure foreign investors that their investments will be protected. But, all these guarantees are now under threat. Also threatened are the Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) entered into by Nigeria with France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Soon, Nigeria will become a promise-breaker who is not fit to be considered for foreign investment. This is tragic coming at a time the company needs over $1bn investment every year to guarantee steady gas supply for its six trains. It is also sadly coinciding with the firm’s need of foreign investment of $25billion for its Train 7.

    If care is not taken, we may soon find the country being dragged before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Tribunals as a result of breaking international treaties. The alterations the National Assembly plans will certainly lead to breach of contract and expose the country to the risk of huge awards at the tribunal. Not long ago, Venezuela was ordered to pay an award of $1.6billion to ExxonMobil. Ecuador also had to pay Occidental.

    You may wonder why I am being alarmist. Well, you will understand my drift when I enumerate what the National Assembly is trying to do with the NLNG Act. After enumerating this, I will get back to the other disadvantages of this move, which our lawmakers are portraying as being in the country’s interest.

    From available information, the National Assembly seeks to end the company’s status as dollar denominated, which was agreed on to protect the company against Naira’s flip-flop. Its clients are abroad and doing business in Nigeria could be topsy-turvy.

    The National Assembly also seeks to make its subsidiary, Bonny Gas Transport Company pay tax in Nigeria. It also plans to make NLNG pay three per cent of its annual revenue to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), three per cent of gross freight on international inbound and outbound cargo to NIMASA, two per cent of contracts performed by companies engaged in cabotage and one per cent of any contract award upstream to the government.

    Those championing these amendments have forgotten that the NDDC levy is aimed at upstream oil and gas producers from whom the NLNG buys the gas it now liquefies. It does not produce gas and common sense should make it clear that it should not be affected by this. Making it pay amounts to the government taking money twice for the same purpose; one from the producer and two, from the client. Companies involved in fertilizer production, power generation and petrochemical industries, which buy gas just like the NLNG, are not made to pay the NDDC levy. More so, this is a matter the NDDC had pursued up to the Supreme Court and it lost. Favouring NDDC, NIMASA and others by getting them what they could not get in court smacks of discrimination against a private limited liability company.

    Also, these alterations, I must emphasise, to the NLNG Act are not in line with the guarantees and assurances Nigeria entered into with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and others. Apart from what I mentioned earlier, the amendments have the capacity to result in loss of income of between $53m and $124m which the Federal Government gets as dividends and withholding tax. Also threatened are the 18,000 jobs required for the construction activities for Train 7.

    The impression given by the National Assembly is that the NLNG is enjoying a rare privilege. This is far from the truth. Firms operating in free trade zones enjoy better privileges. They enjoy absolute exemptions from taxes and levies. No federal, state or local government gets a dime from them as taxes. NLNG only enjoys partial exemptions and at least one of them, that is, the Companies Income Tax, is time-bound. Its exemption from this expired in 2009.

    The question that may come to the mind of some people is whether or not NLNG does not want to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta through the NDDC. Facts suggest that the firm has spent nearly $200m on providing roads, water, electricity, schools and scholarships for the local communities in Bonny, its base. It has offered to support the government with N60bn for the completion of the Bonny-Bodo Road. It has committed N3bn annually for 25 years for the development of the Bonny Kingdom, with a view to turning the Island into Nigeria’s Dubai.

    Many federal universities have also benefitted from the firm. Its CSR efforts are almost unparalleled in the country. So, the issue at stake is not about not wanting to spend money on the Niger Delta but retaining shareholder confidence and ensuring that government maintains its integrity by keeping its promises to investors. If we do this, investors will be assured that their money is in good hands and the country’s reputation as an investment destination will remain intact.

    The NLNG is our national treasure and we must protect it. It is a model of how a company should be run. Its credit rating among international financier is even better than Nigeria’s. This sort of alterations to its enabling law will castrate it. And we will be the loser for it.

     

    • Nelson, a public commentator, sent this piece from Abuja.
  • Budget: Buhari writes NASS to borrow $29.96bn external loan

    Budget: Buhari writes NASS to borrow $29.96bn external loan

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday forwarded a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.

    The president also requested for virement of N180.8 billion in the 2016 budget for provision of needed votes for some critical sectors across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

    Buhari made the requests in two separate letters to the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, which were read on the floor of both chambers.

    The president, in the external borrowing plan, explained that targeted projects cuts across all sectors with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation.

    Other sectors he said included poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms, among others.

    According to him, the cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing (rolling) plan is $29.960 billion.

    This is made up of proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274 billion, Special National Infrastructure projects $10.686 billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5 billion.

    He explained further that the loan was very necessary in view of the serious infrastructure deficit in the country.

    He said the country had huge infrastructure deficit and enormous financial resources required to fill the gap in the face of dwindling resources.

    “This is in addition to the inability of our annual budgetary provisions to bridge the deficit. It has become necessary to resort to prudent external borrowing to bridge the financing gap.

    “This will largely be applied to key infrastructure projects namely power, railway and roads among others,” he added.

    Buhari said the N180 billion would be moved from monies already appropriated for special intervention programmes both recurrent and capital for funding of critical recurrent and capital items.

    He said the request arose due to shortfalls in provisions for personnel costs; inadequate provision ab initio for amnesty programme; continuing requirements to sustain the war against insurgency; and depreciation of the Naira.

    The letter reads in part: “In the course of implementing the 2016 Appropriation Act, several MDAs have presented issues pertaining to salary shortfalls, the settlement of part of which has led to the depletion of the Public Service Wage Adjustment.

    “This Vote, which had a provision of N33,597,400,000, now has a balance of N2, 758,296,000.

    “The provision for NYSC in the 2016 budget is inadequate to cater for the number of corps members to be mobilised this year.

    “In fact, an additional N8.5 billion is required to cover the backlog of 129,469 corps members who are due for call-up but would otherwise be left out till next year due to funding constraints.

    “Similarly, the provision for meal subsidy for the Unity Colleges is inadequate for the number of students in the schools.

    “Due to the devaluation of the Naira, the budgetary provisions for the foreign missions are no longer sufficient to cover all their costs.”

    In another letter dated Oct. 24, the president also requested the National Assembly to approve the virement of funds appropriated for special intervention (recurrent) and special intervention (capital) to fund some critical recurrent and capital items.

    According to him, the reasons for the request for virement, include shortfalls in provisions for personnel costs; inadequate provision ab initio for some items like the amnesty programme; continuing requirements to sustain the war against insurgency and depreciation of the naira.

    “However, considering the fact that budgeted revenues are running behind target due to the renewed violence in the Niger Delta.

    “Also there are no supplementary revenue sources, the most viable option for now is the virement of appropriated funds from heads or sub-heads that may not be fully utilised before the end of this fiscal year,” Buhari added.

    An analysis of the proposed virement shows that Public Service Wage Adjustment (PSWA) will gulp N71,800 billion.

    “Contingency N1.2 billion, margin for increase in cost N2 billion for cadet feeding – Police Academy, Wudil, Kano, N932.4 million; amnesty programme N35 billion; internal operations of the armed forces N5.205 billion.

    “Operation Lafiya Dole N13.933 billion; NYSC N19.792 billion; foreign missions N14.667 billion, and augmentation of meal subsidy/direct teaching and laboratory cost of N900 million bringing the total to N166.630,886,954 billion.

    “Statutory transfers to Public Complaints Commission is estimated to gulp N1.2 billion while the virement in respect of capital expenditure for the Nigerian Air Force is N12.708 billion.

    “Capital Supplementation: Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) is N1.5 billion bringing the total to N14,208,367,476 billion.”

    Lastly, the president requested that N300 million be vired from the budget of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to fund the construction of 132KVA sub-station of fallen transmission towers, replacement of glass insulators at Gwaram, Jigawa. (NAN)

  • NASS: Legislative aides’ anger grows over unpaid N1.1b allowances

    NASS: Legislative aides’ anger grows over unpaid N1.1b allowances

    The 3000-strong aides to federal legislators are getting impatient with the management of the National Assembly over the non-payment of their cumulative Duty Tour Allowances and other entitlements put at N1.1billion.

    The aides, who, on Wednesday, publicly protested the delay in the payment of their September salary, are now demanding the settlement of their allowances which have not been paid since they assumed duties in June 2015.

    They wonder why the NASS management finds it difficult to meet its financial obligations to them even with its N150 billion budget for 2015 and the N115 billion budget for this year.

    Sources said the legislatives aides are owed  duty tour allowances (DTA) for four quarters  totaling about N900 million.

    Another N225 million DTA is still owed the 2011-2015 set of legislative aides.

    Less than 24 hours after last Wednesday’s protest over delayed payment of their September salary, the  legislative aides began receiving payment alerts from their banks.

    A member of one of the two factions of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF) who requested anonymity said:”They (NASS management)  just don’t bother to communicate with us even when they know that we are at pains and in suspense.

    “None of us ever knows the details of the N150 billion annual budget they have been receiving. Since the beginning of this year, our salaries have always been delayed but when we began a protest within the National Assembly last Wednesday, we began receiving bank payment alerts within hours, that same day.

    “Part of the reasons why suspicion continued to grow is the management’s seeming determination to help impose one of the two leadership factions that it favours on NASSLAF.

    “The National Assembly is actively supportive of criticisms against the recent raid on judges’ residence because any such unexpected effort by the EFCC or DSS can unravel extremely humongous trails in NASS’ multibillion Naira finances over the past few years.”

    Sources said that although millions of naira is usually earmarked for the training of legislative aides annually, no such training has been organized in the recent past.

    A text message sent to Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori, the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) on Friday elicited no reply.

    In July last year, about twelve months before Omolori became CNA, many of the 3, 000 legislative aides who served 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly had alleged that a powerful clique within the management of the National Assembly has perfected arrangements to divert a portion or the entire sums earmarked for their last DTA.

    They claimed that while the NASS management had dutifully paid the quarterly DTA of about N75, 000 – N90, 000 along with aides’ salaries in the past, payment of the April 2015 quarterly DTA had inexplicably remained in the limbo, even after Senators and members of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly had received every kobo of all outstanding allowances.

    An undated circular signed by Director, Personnel Management Department, Dr. I. S. Habu, on behalf of the Clerk of the National Assembly and pasted on various notice boards within the National Assembly said: “I am directed to inform all legislative aides to please be patient regarding the payment of their severance gratuity and duty tour allowance (DTA), as management is making concerted efforts to secure the funds from the Ministry of Finance.

    “I am to add that as soon as the monies are released, payment will commence without any delay,” Habu’s memo had stated but while severance gratuity was paid, the outstanding duty tour allowance (DTA) remains unpaid till today and no further explanation has been given by NASS management.

     

  • NASS’ narcissism

    NASS’ narcissism

    Legislators seem unable to stop finagling with funds

    Nigeria’s National Assembly (NASS) members seem to grow in the ugly stature of the proverbial beast that continues to chew unperturbed as the hunter frantically shoots at it. Neither the deafening clamour from the populace to streamline the legislature nor the biting recession seems to be of any concern to the lawmakers. They are just trudging on in their old detestable way.

    Our lawmakers have been touted as the highest paid in the world. You would think they would be ashamed of wearing that ignoble badge in a country roiled by much economic troubles. Not in the least; NASS continues to appropriate a budget of between N120 to N150 billion annually for itself.

    This budget which is obviously excessive for this tier of government is simply disbursed as if it were some booty; with each member carting home disproportionate sums – not unlike loot – annually. Being a federal legislator in Nigeria has therefore become the most criminally lucrative enterprise ever.

    It is under this light that a recent report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) concerning the on-going pillage of the treasury through the instrumentality of legislative aides is particularly alarming. As the story goes, there are no fewer than 2,560 aides engaged by 469 members of the 8th National Assembly.

    Apart from the principal officers, the National Assembly Act provides for five aides per legislator: one senior legislative aide, two legislative aides, a personal assistant and a secretary.

    For the principal officers, the President of the Senate, by the Act, is entitled to 45 aides, the deputy, 30 and 20 for each of six others.

    In the House of Representatives, the Speaker is entitled to 35 assistants; Deputy Speaker 15 and 10 each for the other principal officers.

    However, investigation by NAN has revealed that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has hired about 115 aides; Speaker Yakubu Dogara employed 168; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has 60 and Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun has 58 aides.

    The story states that early in the year, the National Assembly management had written to Saraki and Dogara requesting them to reduce the number of their aides but up until this report was published last week, nothing had been done. “They are still carrying on with the over-bloated personal appointees.”

    Also troubling is the revelation that most of the so-called aides cannot be verified by the assembly management as they are reportedly based in their constituency offices. But it is common knowledge that most constituency offices are mere facades consisting only of large signboards and empty buildings. But the salaries and emoluments of such ‘staff’ are paid through the legislators.

    After nearly two weeks of the publication of this report, there has been no response from NASS. It is therefore apposite to tag this as another one in the numerous reports of bad behaviour in our federal legislature.

    In a period of general depression in the polity, the least one expects from government officials is prudence and proper ethical and moral examples. And for any group to further inflate the cost of running government at this time is unacceptable.

    The statutorily allotted number of personal staff is too many as it were; to double or triple the number as reported is fraudulent and indeed reprehensible. This is akin to binging on public funds.

    We call on the National Assembly Service Commission to do its job by first insisting on legislators having only the statutory number of aides. It is also incumbent on the commission to run staff audit, especially in the constituency offices to be sure that it is getting value for money.

    This allegation is too grave to be swept aside. The commission must investigate it and make sure that appropriate sanctions are levied on defaulting legislators. Where the lawmakers have to refund what they had illegally collected on behalf of their aides, this should be done without delay. This is not the only country where such would happen. British Members of Parliament have had to cough up such illegally collected money in the past, even as many of them faced stiff penalties. It is sad that since the return to civil rule in 1999, hardly has any legislative assembly gone without Nigerians having to voice concerns over the bogus pay the lawmakers cart home. We started very early in the day with their outrageous furniture allowance; we have had cause to condemn the way their so-called constituency allowance is handled. Today it is all about the ghost aides that they pay with public funds.

    This is not the kind of example we expect from people who ordinarily should be the epitome of decency in the country. All hands must be on deck to ensure that these legislators do not lapse into some form of narcissism.

  • NASS narcissism

    Legislators seem unable to stop finagling with funds

    Nigeria’s National Assembly (NASS) members seem to grow in the ugly stature of the proverbial beast that continues to chew unperturbed as the hunter frantically shoots at it. Neither the deafening clamour from the populace to streamline the legislature nor the biting recession seems to be of any concern to the lawmakers. They are just trudging on in their old detestable way.

    Our lawmakers have been touted as the highest paid in the world. You would think they would be ashamed of wearing that ignoble badge in a country roiled by much economic troubles. Not in the least; NASS continues to appropriate a budget of between N120 to N150 billion annually for itself.

    This budget which is obviously excessive for this tier of government is simply disbursed as if it were some booty; with each member carting home disproportionate sums – not unlike loot – annually. Being a federal legislator in Nigeria has therefore become the most criminally lucrative enterprise ever.

    It is under this light that a recent report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) concerning the on-going pillage of the treasury through the instrumentality of legislative aides is particularly alarming. As the story goes, there are no fewer than 2,560 aides engaged by 469 members of the 8th National Assembly.

    Apart from the principal officers, the National Assembly Act provides for five aides per legislator: one senior legislative aide, two legislative aides, a personal assistant and a secretary.

    For the principal officers, the President of the Senate, by the Act, is entitled to 45 aides, the deputy, 30 and 20 for each of six others.

    In the House of Representatives, the Speaker is entitled to 35 assistants; Deputy Speaker 15 and 10 each for the other principal officers.

    However, investigation by NAN has revealed that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has hired about 115 aides; Speaker Yakubu Dogara employed 168; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has 60 and Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun has 58 aides.

    The story states that early in the year, the National Assembly management had written to Saraki and Dogara requesting them to reduce the number of their aides but up until this report was published last week, nothing had been done. “They are still carrying on with the over-bloated personal appointees.”

    Also troubling is the revelation that most of the so-called aides cannot be verified by the Assembly management as they are reportedly based in their constituency offices. But it is common knowledge that most constituency offices are mere facades consisting only of large sign boards and empty buildings. But the salaries and emoluments of such ‘staff’ are paid through the legislators.

    After nearly two weeks of the publication of this report there has been no response from NASS over this damaging report. It is therefore apposite to tag this as another one in the numerous reports of bad behaviour in our federal legislature.

    In a period of general depression in the polity, the least one expects from government officials is prudence and proper ethical and moral examples. And for any group to further inflate the cost of running government at this time is unacceptable.

    The statutorily allotted number of personal staff is too many as it were; to double or triple the number as reported is fraudulent and indeed reprehensible. This is akin to binging on public funds.

    We call on the National Assembly Service Commission to do its job by first insisting on legislators having only the statutory number of aides. It is also incumbent on the commission to run staff audit, especially in the constituency offices to be sure that it is getting value for money.

    This allegation is too grave to be swept aside. The commission must investigate it and make sure that appropriate sanctions are levied on defaulting legislators. Where the lawmakers have to refund what they had illegally collected on behalf of their aides, this should be done without delay. This is not the only country where such would happen. British Members of Parliament have had to cough up such illegally collected money in the past, even as many of them paid stiffer penalties. It is sad that since the return to civil rule in 1999, hardly has any legislative assembly gone without Nigerians having to voice concerns over the bogus pay the lawmakers cart home. We started very early in the day with their outrageous furniture allowance; we have had cause to condemn the way their so-called constituency allowance is handled. Today it is all about the ghost aides that they pay with public funds.

    This is not the kind of example we expect from people who ordinarily should be the epitome of decency in the country. All hands must be on deck to ensure that our legislators do not lapse into some form of narcissism.

  • Will Jibrin become NASS hero at 40?

    As the fireworks between Speaker Yakubu Dogara, three other principal officers and former chairman of the House Appropriation Committee continue, the question on the lips of many Nigerians is: will Jibrin become the first anti-corruption hero of the National Assembly?

    Jibrin, regarded as extremely influential in the house, is believed to be the godfather of Dogara, as he was believed to have funded his election and mobilised the necessary support. He raised 20 allegations bordering on corruption against Dogara.

    Dogara countered with allegations of immaturity, betrayal and breach of trust against Jibrin. While Jibrin responded swiftly to all the allegations against him, Speaker Dogara is yet to respond to any of the allegations jibrin raised.

    The interesting thing is the damming disclosure that Jibrin has continued to make via his Twitter handle. He has thrown asymmetric shock into the National Assembly and the country as a whole. Dogara had threatened Jibrin with legal action but Jibrin responded that he stood on his points and would never apologise to a shameless fraud in high office.

    His explosive interview on Channels TV sent shock waves across the country. He has dragged Dogara, the three other principal officers and nine chairmen of standing committees of the House to the anti-graft agencies, accusing them of corruption.

    His party, the APC has intervened, but many believe that the matter has gone out of hand. It looks likely that Dogara is on his way out. Many questioned why Jibrin is opening up after falling out with Dogara.

    He responded that he is a product of the establishment but never felt comfortable with it. He added that for things like this to happen, there must be a trigger, no matter how unattractive it might be.

    Many believe that Hon Jibrin has shown exceptional courage and if he stands his ground without caving in, he might turn the unlikely hero in a country that hinges its hope on the National Assembly. He has called himself ‘the accidental activist’; a befitting cap as he celebrates his 40th birthday on September 9.

  • Budget padding: NLC cautions against weakening of NASS

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday cautioned against using the current budget padding controversy to weaken the leadership of the National Assembly or settle political scores.

    In a statement issued by its president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, NLC said the current controversy is showing evidence of weakness in the nation’s budgeting system and the fact that projects are not conceived and implemented based on the needs of the people, but those behind the projects.

    The congress said rather than go after individuals, government should do a soul searching and x-ray the nation’s budgeting system that has failed to address the needs of the people.

    The statement reads: “The ongoing controversy over the padding of the 2016 budget is an incontrovertible evidence of the inherent weaknesses in our budgeting process and accordingly underscores the need for a thorough revisit.

    “It also reveals the imperfections and the distrust in project identification and implementation system and consequent failure of the present model of capital budgeting without a developmental framework. It shows that projects are not implemented according to needs-value or priority but who is behind which.

    “In light of the foregoing, we wish to state that instead of going after individuals, government should do a soul-search as well as x-ray a budgeting system that fails to address the needs of the people.

    “We caution against the use of the present development to settle political scores or unduly weaken the National Assembly.

    “A strong National Assembly is a necessity for a vibrant democracy.  We urge Nigerians to be slow to anger in matters of this nature even as they have little or no reason to be too trusting of any political office holder, so that in the end, they do not end up victims of other peoples’ wars.

    “Even as vitriol and bile have risen, it is important to distinguish between genuine and phony constituency projects, for in truth, constituency projects are obligations owed constituents by parliamentarians.

    “Finally, we call for caution, because how the issues in contention are resolved will shape the direction of our democracy; deepen or weaken it. Equally important is the fact that it avails us an opportunity to revisit our budgetary system and the need for development planning.”

  • NASS: Still a misunderstood institution?

    NASS: Still a misunderstood institution?

    LAST week, after the National Assembly adjourned to commence its annual recess in compliance with the provision of Section 60 of the Constitution, Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate, issued a statement published in the newspapers  in which he called on the Accountant General of the Federation to deduct the payment for the period in which the federal legislators did not sit at plenary from their salaries. Mr. Falana is a respected lawyer and public commentator whose views I hold seriously.

    In the statement, without providing empirical evidence or giving us figures, he claimed that the Senators and House of Representatives members have not fulfilled the requirements of Section 63 of the constitution which requires them to “sit for a period of not less than one hundred and eighty-one days in a year”. Well, Mr. Falana is a man who always gives out all facts to substantiate his position. So, I had expected him to give figures as to how many days the National Assembly actually sat and by how many days they were short of the constitutional requirement so that we can know how many days pay the Accountant General will deduct. When I did not see these details in the statement, I know something was wrong. That was unlike the human rights activist/lawyer.

    My deduction is that the statement by Falana is just another instance of how many Nigerians commented on the activities, events around and issues in the National Assembly just for the sake of knocking the federal legislature. The lawmakers have become the black sheep, Guinean pigs or the whipping boys for those who are not happy with the going-on in the country.

    This may be because the legislature is the one that has stayed the least in our administrative structure since independence. Between and now, the legislature has only existed for about half of the time the two other arms – executive and judiciary- have been with us. To be precise, we have had full legislature for 28 out of 56 years of post-independent Nigeria. Thus, the legislature is the least known and least familiar to the people. With this situation, many Nigerians are still not conversant with the rules, procedure and process governing the operations of the institution.

    In any case, it is easy to criticise the National Assembly with 469 elected members than the executive where only two people enjoy the people’s mandate while others hold offices at the discretion of just one man. Also, since 1999, the executive arm has consciously and unconsciously contributed to creating a bad image for the law making institution, as part of the design to weaken and control it. That is why it is gradually becoming part of the democratic culture being promoted now, even by the media, that the Presidency must have a say in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly and that its leadership must always be seen to be in the good book of the executive.

    And some of the commentaries about the National Assembly fall into the different categories of those who do not believe nothing good can come from there, those who are eager to blame all the evils in Nigeria on the Assembly,  the outrightly mischievous ones and those who simply comment out of ignorance. Mr. Falana must belong to the first category.

    To address some of the issues arising from the lawyer’s position. Section 60 of the constitution which states that “Subject to the provision of this constitution, the Senate and House of Representatives shall have the powers to regulate its own procedure for summoning and recess of the House”, allows the National Assembly to go on vacation just like every individual engaged in any type of work. It should also be noted that the National Assembly works through different fora. The sitting of all the members in plenary is just one of them and that is the forum that is suspended when the Legislature goes on recess.

    Members of  the National Assembly during recess continue to sit and work through committees. See Section 62 (1, 2, 3, and 4) of the constitution. They work through visiting the locus in quo in exercise of their duties under Section 88 of the constitution. More importantly, they work through constituency engagements which is recognised by the constitution and other laws as a key duty of the legislators. All these other duties other than sitting as the committee of the whole in plenary usually go on undisturbed during the recess period. That is why expert commentators on the legislature agree that more legislative work are done in the committees than at plenary. In other words, most of the work on bills are done at committee stage. Same are oversight and consideration of public petitions by the committee so assigned the work.

    That is why despite the Senate being on recess, members of its committee met for several hours between last Tuesday and Thursday to hold confirmation hearing for over 40 ambassadorial nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari. Also, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been resuming in the office since Monday to attend to foreign dignitaries, heads of institutions and bodies seeking to engage with the Senate about their activities and about laws that can have positive impact on Nigerians.

    Therefore, apart from law making, the constitutional responsibility of Senators and Representatives include investigation or what is called oversight functions, advocacy, approval of executive appointments and relating with the constituents. A great aspect of these responsibilities take place outside the plenary.

    Today, the committees in the Senate are striving to meet the deadline given to them by the Senate President that all pending reports from various committee assignments or investigation must be ready for consideration after the recess. Also, many lawmakers utilise this period to hold various consultative and empowerment sessions for their people. An example of this latter use of the recess period was the July 23 event to announce scholarship awards and youth empowerment programme held in Ikeagwu, Enugu State by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

    It is therefore wrong to think that once the federal legislature is on recess, members simply shut off,  go to sleep and wake up to collect salaries and allowances. Members of the National Assembly represent Nigerians and if we continue denigrating the Legislature, it can only translate to undermining the nation’s democracy.

    • Olaniyonu is Special Adviser (Media) to Senate President.

  • Obasanjo’s view on democracy preposterous – PDP chief

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ebonyi State, Chief Abia Onyike, on Tuesday faulted ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo’s corruption allegation against the National Assembly, describing the former President as highly committed antagonist of the legislative institution in the country.

    Onyike, a former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi, stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital.

    He said the views of the former President on democracy had been medieval and preposterous.

    He said Obasanjo lacks the locus standi to talk on corruption, considering the economic woes that faced Nigerians during his administration.

    The ex- commissioner, in a statement, alleged that the former President worked hard to destabilize the operations of the National Assembly during his regime.

    He said, “Nigerians have not forgotten the shameless parade of ‘Ghana-must-go’ on the floor of House of Representatives during the failed bid to remove Ghali Umar Naaba.

    “Neither have they forgotten the $13.6 billion spent on the power sector without stable electricity under Obasanjo’s regime.

    “It is a gratuitious insult on our collective intelligence as Nigerians for our main symbol of democracy (the National Assembly) to be assaulted and disparaged at will, a culture nurtured under Obasanjo.

    “His apparent disdain and hatred for the National Assembly was demonstrated to Nigerians when he worked hard to destabilise the National Assembly during his tenure. Either in or out of government, Obasanjo has become a highly committed antagonist of the legislative institution.

    “On his comments regarding corruption in the National Assembly, I believe that Obasanjo should not be the one to open the pandora box.

    “Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu should be commended for holding the forte despite the orchestrated campaigns of calumny organised to impugn the integrity of the National Assembly by vested anti-democratic forces in the country.

    “Some people have made it a point of duty to degrade and demonise the National Assembly by constantly casting aspersions on its leadership.”