The revelation that the National Assembly will be spending N125 billion this year is already raising dust across the nation.
Some Nigerians believe the amount is out of tune with reality , given the current economic situation of the country.
Retired Catholic Archbishop of Lagos State, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie is shocked that the federal legislators appropriated N125 billion considering the economic recession plaguing the country.
“Are you saying million or billion? It is too much,” he told The Nation when contacted yesterday by phone.
“These people were elected to make laws that would bring development to the nation but what have they done? They are just there fighting for their own personal interest.
“During election period you will see them jumping around, making promises that they cannot fulfill. It is not fair. What exactly are these people budgeting this huge amount of money doing in the interest of the nation and the people?”
The vocal cleric asked them them to cut the budget because “it is too much.”
“What are they going to do with it? My brother, today is Friday and I don’t want to be annoyed. The country is plagued by the menace of herdsmen, armed robbery, kidnapping and unemployment. These and so many burning issues are things that they should be concerned about.
“How are they going to account for this thing before God? We always say that God is a merciful father but it appears that the devil does not allow us to remember that God is a God of justice. If any negative thing happens to any of them, they will be saying that somebody caused it for them. These are repercussions of what they are doing,” Okogie stated.
A similar knock came from Dr Odinga Adi of the Lagos Business School who accused the lawmakers of being inconsiderate in allocating such amount to themselves in a period he described as said “unprecedented economic recession.”
His words: “It shows they are politicians that are entirely disconnected from the realities of everyday life of the citizens of this country . There is no way to justify the kind of budget they have allocated to themselves. They don’t care about the people. It is only when election comes that they remember the people .”
Odinga asked for the review of the constitution because it is ” largely outdated, anti-developmental, against the principle of equity, and fundamentally flawed.”
He added: “There can never be any progress if we do not revisit the constitution.”
A Political Economist, Dr Collins Nweze, said: “They are not supposed to get one third of that budget considering the amount of work that they do. If that percentage of recurrent budget is used to maintain the expensive lifestyle of the personnel, how would the nation grow and how would there not be corruption?
“ If we have a good system, that kind of money could be put into building small hospitals, fund education and other small projects in rural areas rather than giving it to a small percentage of people who spend a very short time looking at national issues.
“The problem is not really their fault. It is the system that is put in place. We need to do something about the system because it is not sustainable and cannot develop any economy or society.”
A former Delta state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Victor Otomiewo, is of the view that the National Assembly does not deserve any budget at all, considering its ‘nonperformance’ while the Chairman of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), Chief Edward Ekpoko believes it hasnot lived up to its constitutional responsibilities.
Chairman of the OML 30 Community Development Board in Delta State , Morris Idiovwa, wants legislative budget slashed by half.
Otomiewo said:”Since the inception of this democracy in 1999, it is glaring to all and sun
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