By Adedapo Adesanya
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the leadership of the National Assembly, the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, to disclose the exact amount of money being paid to and received by lawmakers and the spending details of any such running costs.
In the letter dated August 17, 2024, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We are concerned about the practice by the lawmakers of fixing their salaries, allowances and running costs, and the opacity and in the spending of millions of naira in running costs by lawmakers.”
“According to our information, members of the National Assembly are currently fixing their salaries, allowances and running costs. The running costs are reportedly paid directly into the personal accounts of members,” it said after former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently alleged that the lawmakers fixed their salaries and allowances, contrary to the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
SERAP also urged them to “promptly end the alleged practice by the National Assembly of fixing its salaries, allowances and running costs, in conformity with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and the country’s international obligations.”
The group urged them “to end the alleged practice of paying running costs into the personal accounts of lawmakers, and to refer the alleged misuse or mismanagement of the running costs to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution where there is relevant admissible evidence.”
The parliament was asked to “promptly disclose the total amount of running costs that have so far been paid to and received by the lawmakers and to ensure the return of any misused or mismanaged public funds.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and other members of the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest,” the statement added.
“Nigerians have a right to scrutinize how their lawmakers spend their tax money and the commonwealth. Nigerians also have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers.
“The allegations also clearly amount to members taking advantage of their entrusted public positions. Ending the reported practice by lawmakers fixing their salaries, allowances and running costs would improve public confidence in the integrity and honesty of the National Assembly.
“It would show that the Senate and House of Representatives under your leadership can focus on serving the public interest of Nigerians rather than looking after themselves,” other parts added.
Modupe Gbadeyanka