Nigeria: No Jumbo Salary for National Assembly Members

Senate

The President of  the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has said that there was nothing like jumbo salary for National Assembly members as being speculated in some quarters.

Lawan made the disclosure, when members of the Senators’ Forum paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja on Tuesday.

While further disregarding  the jumbo pay issue, he revealed that  his monthly salary as a lawamaker and that of his colleagues was N750,000.

“What I want to emphasize here is that  I never  believed  that that there is anything called  Jombo pay to the national assembly.

“The  National Assembly  members both the Senate and the House receive what is their salaries  and I receive N750,000 as  my  salary.

“But I need to function as a senator , my office needs to be properly funded,” he said.

He promised that the national assembly  was  going to be  open to the general public in the conduct of its legislative activities, particularly in the area of funding

“National Assembly is going to be open to the public , I believe that the national assembly should have everything open , let Nigerians Know,  what we are doing.

“I believe that Nigerians need to understand this, we need to continually engage with Nigerians and I will also argue that we continue to explain to Nigerians, they deserve to know how their resources are being utilised.

“ I believe that the national assembly needs proper funding  because the legislature is so critical in any national development,’’ he said.

He went further that the ninth senate would be a by-partisan  senate  that would carter for the unity  and progress of the nation.

“This senate is a by-partisan senate, senators consciously decided to work for us and we take that very seriously, what that means is that we are going to make  for progress  Nigeria .

“Because what we have done is to be patriotic and we belong  to various political parties, but   once we are here Nigeria is our constituency.

“The Senate is going to be united in the conduct of its  oversight.  It is a senate that will work for Nigeria. We are going to do everything possible to remain united in a very by–partisan  manner  and remain focused .

“Because the challenges against Nigeria is enormous, we need to enhance  our of security.

“We need to make sure the economy works for every one for those at the lowest ladder and those at the top, this is necessary I don’t believe that rancor or hostility  will yield any positive result.

“I have witnessed how rancour undermined national development, I also witnessed a  very peaceful and cordial relationship that at  the  end of the day produce the kind of outcomes  that Nigerian desire.

“ So we are here to follow the part of peace, but we are going to be  very seriously and systematically in our over sight .

“A minister or head of organisation  that is expected to function must function,” he said.

He said the senate  was determined to ensure that the Nigeria returns to the January to December budget process .

“We have to work together and archive what need to archive for  Nigerians .

“We know the challenges and we will work hard  to ensure that we get the solution.

“This senate is determined to ensure for example we pass the  budget in three months and we believe  this is achievable  and doable .

“All we require is for the executive to provide the appropriation  bill in good time may be at the end of September or early week of September.

“The national assembly will sit to ensure that there is defence  of the budget by the MDAs and before we live for Christmas we will  ensure that the budget is passed, so that  we  go back the January to Decemeber   budget cycle,’’ he said.

Ealier, the Chairman of the forum,  Sen. Khariat Gwadabe,  said   the meeting was a unique opportunity for them to interface with the  president of the senate.

She also expressed confidence  in Lawan’s  capacity to lead the senate, having spent 20 years in the parliament, adding  that   the forum was ready to  support the ninth assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum is made of both serving and former senators numbering about 600.(NAN)

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