The contentious “enjoyment allowance” given to Senators and House of Representatives members before they left for a lengthy break last Monday drew criticism from the National Assembly administration on Tuesday.
The Secretary of Research and Information, Dr. Ali Umoru, claimed in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday that the payment made to lawmakers in the upper and lower legislative chambers had been mischaracterized. He called this unfortunate given that the money is a part of their statutory operating expenses for their offices.
The statement said: “The Management of the National Assembly has been made aware of the repeated misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the payment of the N2,000,000.00 (two million naira) stipend to each Senator.
It should be emphasised that the two million Naira is a portion of the operational expenses for each senator’s office as outlined in the 2023 budget.
The allocation of operating expenses is nothing new; it has long been routine procedure. These funds are used to support numerous initiatives aimed at advancing the interests of the populace, legislative actions, and other activities that directly contribute to effective representation.
“For the sake of clarity and emphasis, it should be noted that the aforementioned allowances were included in the operational costs for each senator’s office in the 10th Assembly in the 2023 Appropriation Act.
“Therefore, the allowances are a right and not a favour or generosity given to the Senators. It is necessary to provide this clarification and correct the record, nonetheless, given the false impression the topic has provided.
The National Assembly is still dedicated to openness and responsibility in the administration of public finances. As we cooperate to safeguard the values of democracy and sound governance, we thank the Nigerian people’s ongoing support and understanding.
