Senator Abdul Ningi has revealed that some lawmakers have received a recess allowance of N2 million, even though he himself has not yet received his own, Channels TV reports.
In a recent video clip, Senate President Godswill Akpabio mentioned that Senators should expect a ” token” to enjoy their recess. This comment, which Akpabio later withdrew, has sparked online debates.
Senator Ningi criticized Akpabio’ s comment, deeming it unprecedented and an embarrassment to the Senate President and the National Assembly.
He however claimed he’ s yet to receive any alert. His statement: ” Nothing has come to my account yet. I heard that some people got N2m but for me, nothing yet. Hopefully [I would get], when they tidy up things. “
He raised questions about the purpose of the allowances and how they were determined. He found it difficult to understand the purpose of receiving N2 million for a holiday.
Premium Times also reported that each serving senator received N2 million as an allowance before a seven- week vacation. This allowance amounted to a total of N218 million, with each senator receiving N2 million.
These bank alerts were received by the senators on August 8th, just before Akpabio’ s announcement.
Akpabio’ s statement was met with surprise as he mentioned the ” token” sent to their accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly.
He later withdrew his statement and rephrased it, saying that he sent prayers to the senators’ mailboxes.
According to Channels TV, it’ s unclear if the presiding officers received the same allowance, given the differences in their salaries and allowances compared to other senators.
There are also speculations that the N2 million allowance might have come from the N70 billion allocated to the National Assembly in the amended 2022 supplementary budget.
This announcement caused outrage among Nigerians, especially considering the removal of petroleum subsidy and economic challenges. Some have questioned the Senate’ s ability to address corruption and contribute to economic development.
Senator Ningi’ s comments highlight concerns over transparency and accountability in the allocation of allowances to lawmakers. The issue raises questions about the purpose and legality of such allowances, particularly when they are not in line with the remuneration package approved by the relevant commission.
The revelation of recess allowances for senators, the manner in which it was announced, and the subsequent debates highlight broader concerns about transparency, accountability, and the economic challenges faced by Nigerians
SocietyDaily (
)
