Members of the Nigerian senate Tuesday, June 23, resumed their plenary session after a two-week recess and have reportedly set up a committee to review the salaries and allowances of lawmakers.
According to the senate president, Bukola Saraki, the Adhoc committee was set up to reassess the structure, and review the level of openness, of members’ pay to ensure that the budget is in line with current economic realities.
Premium Times reports that Saraki said the step was taken following controversial statements in the media concerning the allowances and salaries of the lawmakers, adding: “in the last few days, there have been different reports on allowances for the National Assembly members.
“I reckon it to be false and reckless which has prompted the need to stir up transparency in allowances to avoid misinformation.”
The senate president also reportedly announced the immediate composition of an 18-man Senate adhoc committee comprising of three senators for each geopolitical zone to develop a legislative agenda for the 8th Senate within the next couple of weeks.
“The task before us is enormous and Nigerians voted for change and we hope that we deliver to them tangible change.
“The clear issues that agitate the minds of the people are the government revenues, the current fiscal crisis in many of our states, the unsustainable cost of governance in the country and the rising cost of doing business in Nigeria.
“This concerns have also agitated our minds individually and collectively and we must provide answers because it can no longer be business as usual,” Saraki was quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, an earlier investigation by Punch revealed that members of the National Assembly receive far more in allowances than previously reported.
According to the senate president, Bukola Saraki, the Adhoc committee was set up to reassess the structure, and review the level of openness, of members’ pay to ensure that the budget is in line with current economic realities.
Premium Times reports that Saraki said the step was taken following controversial statements in the media concerning the allowances and salaries of the lawmakers, adding: “in the last few days, there have been different reports on allowances for the National Assembly members.
“I reckon it to be false and reckless which has prompted the need to stir up transparency in allowances to avoid misinformation.”
The senate president also reportedly announced the immediate composition of an 18-man Senate adhoc committee comprising of three senators for each geopolitical zone to develop a legislative agenda for the 8th Senate within the next couple of weeks.
“The task before us is enormous and Nigerians voted for change and we hope that we deliver to them tangible change.
“The clear issues that agitate the minds of the people are the government revenues, the current fiscal crisis in many of our states, the unsustainable cost of governance in the country and the rising cost of doing business in Nigeria.
“This concerns have also agitated our minds individually and collectively and we must provide answers because it can no longer be business as usual,” Saraki was quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, an earlier investigation by Punch revealed that members of the National Assembly receive far more in allowances than previously reported.
