RMAFC: SERAP Wants ‘Illegal’ Running Costs, Allowances By NASS Returned

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged
President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House
of Representatives Mr Yakubu Dogara to “persuade their members to
voluntarily return running costs and other allowances so far
collected.

The group demand that the Allowances, now declared as illegal by
the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC),
when returned should be used to establish a trust fund to improve
investment in education and health.”

The RMAFC yesterday declared as illegal the N13.5 million each
senator reportedly collects monthly as running cost. Each member of
the House of Representatives also reportedly collects N10 million
monthly as running cost. According to the commission, the payment
is not covered by the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office
Holders (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendments) Act 2008 governing
emoluments of political office holders in the country.

Reacting, SERAP in a statement by its deputy director Timothy
Adewale said: “Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended),
the National Assembly cannot use its appropriation power for
personal gain of lawmakers. The revelation that the National
Assembly unilaterally increased their own allowances and running
costs without any regard to due process of law constitutes a
flagrant abuse of governmental powers for personal gain.”

According to the organization, “The National Assembly would never
be able to check abuses of power by the executive or perform
important oversight functions if the lawmakers are looking after
themselves rather than standing up for the citizens.”

The statement read in part: “A trust fund can supply health
aid, educational support, economic empowerment, dignity and overall
improved social welfare of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
sectors of the population. This proposed trust fund can serve as
one of the strategies for addressing the escalating crisis in our
educational and health sectors, something which Bill Gates has
discussed with the Nigerian authorities.”

“Legislative powers are a means; the end is the
liberty and prosperity of the citizens. The leadership of the
National Assembly should therefore ensure that our lawmakers
are more sensitive to the needs of Nigerians in the exercise
of their legislative powers and that the powers are used to improve
opportunities for the citizens, and access to quality education and
adequate health for all Nigerians regardless of socio-economic
status.”

“To check against corruption, the leadership of the National
Assembly should also urgently put in place a system of publishing
an account of receipts and expenditures of members including on
constituency projects, running costs and other allowances.
Nigerians who pay the lawmakers ought to know in what manner the
funds for the operation of the National Assembly are expended.”

“Saraki and Dogara should take immediate steps to ensure the
recovery and voluntary return of the ‘dirty money’, if they are to
ensure that the Constitution’s integrity is not undermined by the
evasion of political and legal accountability by the National
Assembly. The trust funds would contribute to the efforts to
improve investment in education and health for the greatest
happiness of the greatest number.”

“Without accountability of our lawmakers,
the country’s democratic project cannot function
according to its constitutional design. By limiting the
potential for the abuse of governmental power, the Nigerian
Constitution protects individual liberty and
requires all branches of government including the National Assembly
to strive to improve their welfare and economic and social
development and opportunities.”

“The Framers of the Constitution deemed this information essential
if Nigerians are to exercise any control over their representatives
and meet their growing responsibilities as citizens. Publication of
statement of accounts of public expenditures would enhance the
responsibility of the National Assembly by informing the public
about the purposes and authority for certain expenditures.”

It would be recalled that RMAFC said only the National Assembly
Service Commission could explain how the senators came to be paid
such an unapproved allowance. The commission’s clarification
was contained in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim
Mohammed.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged
President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House
of Representatives Mr Yakubu Dogara to “persuade their members to
voluntarily return running costs and other allowances so far
collected.

The group demand that the Allowances, now declared as illegal by
the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC),
when returned should be used to establish a trust fund to improve
investment in education and health.”

The RMAFC yesterday declared as illegal the N13.5 million each
senator reportedly collects monthly as running cost. Each member of
the House of Representatives also reportedly collects N10 million
monthly as running cost. According to the commission, the payment
is not covered by the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office
Holders (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendments) Act 2008 governing
emoluments of political office holders in the country.

Reacting, SERAP in a statement by its deputy director Timothy
Adewale said: “Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended),
the National Assembly cannot use its appropriation power for
personal gain of lawmakers. The revelation that the National
Assembly unilaterally increased their own allowances and running
costs without any regard to due process of law constitutes a
flagrant abuse of governmental powers for personal gain.”

According to the organization, “The National Assembly would never
be able to check abuses of power by the executive or perform
important oversight functions if the lawmakers are looking after
themselves rather than standing up for the citizens.”

The statement read in part: “A trust fund can supply health
aid, educational support, economic empowerment, dignity and overall
improved social welfare of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
sectors of the population. This proposed trust fund can serve as
one of the strategies for addressing the escalating crisis in our
educational and health sectors, something which Bill Gates has
discussed with the Nigerian authorities.”

“Legislative powers are a means; the end is the
liberty and prosperity of the citizens. The leadership of the
National Assembly should therefore ensure that our lawmakers
are more sensitive to the needs of Nigerians in the exercise
of their legislative powers and that the powers are used to improve
opportunities for the citizens, and access to quality education and
adequate health for all Nigerians regardless of socio-economic
status.”

“To check against corruption, the leadership of the National
Assembly should also urgently put in place a system of publishing
an account of receipts and expenditures of members including on
constituency projects, running costs and other allowances.
Nigerians who pay the lawmakers ought to know in what manner the
funds for the operation of the National Assembly are expended.”

“Saraki and Dogara should take immediate steps to ensure the
recovery and voluntary return of the ‘dirty money’, if they are to
ensure that the Constitution’s integrity is not undermined by the
evasion of political and legal accountability by the National
Assembly. The trust funds would contribute to the efforts to
improve investment in education and health for the greatest
happiness of the greatest number.”

“Without accountability of our lawmakers,
the country’s democratic project cannot function
according to its constitutional design. By limiting the
potential for the abuse of governmental power, the Nigerian
Constitution protects individual liberty and
requires all branches of government including the National Assembly
to strive to improve their welfare and economic and social
development and opportunities.”

“The Framers of the Constitution deemed this information essential
if Nigerians are to exercise any control over their representatives
and meet their growing responsibilities as citizens. Publication of
statement of accounts of public expenditures would enhance the
responsibility of the National Assembly by informing the public
about the purposes and authority for certain expenditures.”

It would be recalled that RMAFC said only the National Assembly
Service Commission could explain how the senators came to be paid
such an unapproved allowance. The commission’s clarification
was contained in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim
Mohammed.