By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh
The leadership of the National
Assembly has begun moves to procure operational vehicles for the
lawmakers that make up its dual legislative chambers.
It was
learned yesterday that meetings in that regard started among presiding
officers in the Senate even before the apex legislative body embarked on
its eight-week recess, which ends on September 24, 2019.
A
National Assembly official confirmed the meetings on condition of
anonymity, saying the cost of the cars would be deducted from lawmakers’
allowances.
He hinted that the preferred brand being considered for senators is Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).
The
Bukola Saraki-led Eighth Senate spent not less than N4 billion at that
time to purchase the brand at a cost of N36 million. Two extra cars were
also bought.
With the estimated current price of the vehicle now
N50 million, the Senate might need about N5.550 billion to get enough
quantity for its members, and two additional vehicles.
The
chamber has always maintained that the cars are not for the luxury
cravings of individual senators but to enhance the operations of
committees.
It was learned that the cars would be meant
specifically for all chairmen and vice-chairmen of Senate committees.
But with the Senate now having 69 of such committees, the stage appears
set for every member to be appointed as either chairman or
vice-chairman.
About N1.3 billion was expended on procuring
vehicles for senators in 2012, a development that attracted severe
public criticism. At the time, 109 cars were bought for the lawmakers,
each costing N11. 07 million.
Senate spokesman, Adedayo Adeyeye,
could not be reached for comments as he failed to pick his calls. He did
not reply to text messages either.
The management of the
National Assembly was also silent on the alleged abuse of the
Procurement and Monetisation Acts following accusations that fairly used
vehicles and property were sold at give-away prices to former
lawmakers.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Muhammed Sani Omolori, did not respond to calls for comments.
Some
of the items sold to members of the Eighth Senate and House of
Representatives at scandalous prices include Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs
and office equipment such as computers, photocopiers, and refrigerators.
The
management reportedly sold the SUVs, which had been bought for between
N24 million and N26 million each, to the departing lawmakers at a paltry
N1 million.
It was also said to have received only N360,000 from
the lawmakers for a set consisting of two televisions, a photocopier,
desktop computers, and a big refrigerator.
All the items handed
almost freely to the legislators would apparently be purchased afresh
and supplied to members of the Ninth Assembly inaugurated on June 11,
2019.
It was however learned that the cost of the new computers,
scanners, photocopying machines, television sets, and refrigerators
would be deducted from the severance package of the retiring
legislators.
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege
has assured Nigerians that the Ninth National Assembly will provide an
enabling environment for the implementation of the ‘Next Level’ agenda
of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was contained in a statement released yesterday by Omo-Agege’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Yomi Odunuga.
Odunuga
said the Deputy Senate President gave the assurance when he visited
President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State to felicitate with
him on the Eid-el Kabir celebrations.
“Going forward, the
National Assembly is ready to provide the enabling environment for the
contents of the next level agenda to be implemented,” Omo-Agege was
quoted as saying.
He added: “No doubt, ministers-designate were
carefully selected before their nomination by Mr. President. We have
full faith and confidence in Mr. President’s judgment in the selection
process.
“Our job at the Senate is to ensure that all nominees
meet the constitutional requirements for membership of the Federal
Executive Council (FEC), which are very simple. So, to a lot of us, it
was a checklist: the moment we found out that you are a Nigerian
citizen, you are a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you
were cleared.
“You meet the basic educational qualification,
which is education up to school certificate level; and you should not
have been convicted of a crime within the last 10 years. We went through
that. We relied on the confidence and capacity of Mr. President to do
the right thing, which he has done.”
Source:- Guardianng
{Naijafinix.com}
Share your thoughts