The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has
revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly
as running cost.
In an interview with TheNews, Mr. Sani said that the running
cost does not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and
allowances which they also receive.
Details of the interview was published by SaharaReporters on
Wednesday.
“I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator
is N13.5 million every month,” the senator said.
He explained that though there is no specification on what the
funds was meant for, each lawmaker is mandated to provide receipts
to back up their expenses.
He added that funds allocated for each senator for their
constituency projects are included in the running cost.
Mr. Sani explains, “But what I am saying is that that money
(N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with
it. But what you are given to go and spend without any
accountability is N750,000.
“The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and
almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200
million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.
“You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of
government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to
that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and
do those projects for you.”
Mr. Sani said the process of executing the projects were fraught
with fraud.
“Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and
the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that
because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track
every allocation made to you and where they are being used.
“So, it’s becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past
to happen now.
“But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do
away with running costs, constituency projects and leaves senators
and members of House of Reps with salaries.
The senator stated that members of the National Assembly ideally
shouldn’t be involved in constituency projects. He had earlier
favoured this position while speaking at the launch of
fact-checking and constituency projects tracking websites organised
by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism
(PTCIJ).
“There are issues that we need to understand. First, I don’t
believe that members of the National or even state assemblies
should be involved in carrying out what is called constituency
projects,” he said in the interview.
“When people are elected into the National Assembly, they should
just be involved in law making, raising motions, bills and also
performing oversight functions. But we live in a society where
people cannot differentiate between the legislators and the
executive.
“When the people come to you, they want you to build roads, dig
boreholes, build hospitals, schools, give money, pay school fees
for them. Now, if we have a society in which people will stop
asking legislators to do those things, then there is no need (for
the allowances) But funny enough, if you are very active in the
National Assembly in making laws and you don’t embark on projects
in your constituency, you cannot in any way be appreciated by the
people you are there to serve because the electorates in United
States are different from the electorates in the United States and
Africa.”
Mr. Sani’s revelation is the first by a lawmaker from the Senate
since the clamour by Nigerians for transparency of lawmaker’s
earnings. His revelation also puts a doubt to the National Assembly
budget for 2017 released last year after public pressure. That
budget had no subhead for office running cost, indicating the funds
are hidden under a separate subhead.
The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has
revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly
as running cost.
In an interview with TheNews, Mr. Sani said that the running
cost does not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and
allowances which they also receive.
Details of the interview was published by SaharaReporters on
Wednesday.
“I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator
is N13.5 million every month,” the senator said.
He explained that though there is no specification on what the
funds was meant for, each lawmaker is mandated to provide receipts
to back up their expenses.
He added that funds allocated for each senator for their
constituency projects are included in the running cost.
Mr. Sani explains, “But what I am saying is that that money
(N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with
it. But what you are given to go and spend without any
accountability is N750,000.
“The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and
almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200
million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.
“You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of
government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to
that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and
do those projects for you.”
Mr. Sani said the process of executing the projects were fraught
with fraud.
“Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and
the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that
because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track
every allocation made to you and where they are being used.
“So, it’s becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past
to happen now.
“But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do
away with running costs, constituency projects and leaves senators
and members of House of Reps with salaries.
The senator stated that members of the National Assembly ideally
shouldn’t be involved in constituency projects. He had earlier
favoured this position while speaking at the launch of
fact-checking and constituency projects tracking websites organised
by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism
(PTCIJ).
“There are issues that we need to understand. First, I don’t
believe that members of the National or even state assemblies
should be involved in carrying out what is called constituency
projects,” he said in the interview.
“When people are elected into the National Assembly, they should
just be involved in law making, raising motions, bills and also
performing oversight functions. But we live in a society where
people cannot differentiate between the legislators and the
executive.
“When the people come to you, they want you to build roads, dig
boreholes, build hospitals, schools, give money, pay school fees
for them. Now, if we have a society in which people will stop
asking legislators to do those things, then there is no need (for
the allowances) But funny enough, if you are very active in the
National Assembly in making laws and you don’t embark on projects
in your constituency, you cannot in any way be appreciated by the
people you are there to serve because the electorates in United
States are different from the electorates in the United States and
Africa.”
Mr. Sani’s revelation is the first by a lawmaker from the Senate
since the clamour by Nigerians for transparency of lawmaker’s
earnings. His revelation also puts a doubt to the National Assembly
budget for 2017 released last year after public pressure. That
budget had no subhead for office running cost, indicating the funds
are hidden under a separate subhead.