July 16, (THEWILL) – The National Assembly on Sunday, refuted some media reports that N70 billion allocated to it in the recently passed N819 billion Supplementary Appropriation Act Bill was ‘palliatives’ for lawmakers.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC – Ekiti South), who made the clarification on Sunday in a statement, said the money is meant for “facelift” of the National Assembly and not for individual lawmakers.
The Senate, on Thursday, passed for third reading, N819.5 billion amended supplementary budget for 2022.
In the amended N819.5 billion 2022 supplementary budget, the Senate set aside N500 billion for cushioning of effects of subsidy removal as requested for by President Bola Tinubu.
The sum of N70 billion was also appropriated for the 469 federal lawmakers.
Adaramodu, who debunked reports that the lawmakers ‘padded’ the supplementary budget, said, “After the passage of the Supplementary Budget to accommodate funding for Federal Government’ Palliatives for the Nigerian public, among other urgent national demands, the socio-political space has been inundated with spurious, inaccurate and irreverent misinterpretations.
“Suffice to say that the passage is part of the absolute constitutional duty of the Senate. We would, therefore, not wish to join issues with the mischief and misrepresentation that a portion of the just passed Amendment Act that appropriated N70 billion was a ‘gift’ to the Legislators.
“A visit to the suites, offices and the general structures of the National Assembly Complex would reveal a yawning gap and the need for exigent attention.
“Many Senators had to bring their chairs, tables and electronics and in many cases, do sundry repairs.
“The so much debated allocation will not be paid to any Legislators. This will be managed by the National Assembly’s bureaucracy.
“It’s pertinent to also note that the National Assembly complex does not house only the Legislators. There are thousands of workers and service providers, whose working environment needs a face-lift, and/with necessary tools.
“Since the Assembly Complex is not owned by legislators who are merely political birds of passage, such allocation cannot be termed by anyone as a palliative to the legislators.
“The alleged padding of the palliative budget by the National Assembly only exists in the minds of those who are all out to discredit the 10th Assembly. There is nothing like padding as is being alleged by some misinformed media outfits.
“We wish to urge fellow compatriots to see the National Assembly as partners in the progress of Nigeria. The National Assembly is the soul of democracy and the 10th Senate shall join hands with other arms of government and our forward-looking Nigerians to sing new songs of progress, development, safety and all-round economic recovery and growth.”
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