By Dipo Olowookere
The decision of the National Assembly to appropriate N13 billion for ‘refreshments, travels and welfare’ in the recently passed 2017 budget has infuriated the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL).
Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr Debo Adeniran, described this as “insensitive, gluttonous and selfish.”
Mr Adeniran said, “The demonstration of insensitiveness to the sufferings and very pressing needs of the people is made very manifest by the budget of N13 billion for ‘refreshments, travels and welfare’ for NASS.
“These are legislators that are too ‘embarrassed’ by the humongous remunerations such that they have to shroud it in secrecy as it were, but are yet to satiate their gluttonous tendencies and thus apparently looking for means to corruptly enrich themselves more. This is totally unacceptable.
“They want to utilise any means possible to continue to impoverish the people while they rollick in illegitimate stupendous wealth.”
He further stated that if the Acting President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, assents to this, it would then confirm that the Executive and the Legislature are determined to let many Nigerians be in perpetually in pains.
Mr Adeniran said, “Nigerians must reject this; we must stop those that are hell-bent on the despoliation of our country.
“We call on the acting President not to assent to a budget that prioritise the insatiable greed and the self-aggrandising ends of the political class over the class of the downtrodden, the oppressed and exploited who are the majority.”
Last Thursday, the National Assembly passed the budget worth N7.44 trillion and allotted N125 billion to itself, which many Nigerians have kicked against.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya