I Receive N750,000 as Salary, Says Senate President

I Receive N750,000 as Salary, Says Senate President

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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

Lawan who made the disclosure, when members of the Senators’ Forum paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja, revealed that his monthly salary as a lawmaker and that of his colleagues was N750,000.

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

“The National Assembly members both the Senate and the House of Representatives 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.

Lawan also expressed the readiness of the National Assembly to receive the 2020 budget estimates from the Executive arm of government by September, this year.

He emphasised that in line with plan to return yearly budget calendar to January / December, estimates of 2020 budget proposals are expected from the executive latest by September .

According to him, one of the things the ninth National Assembly in collaboration with the executive arm of government wants to get rid off , is the yearly budget delays with their attendant economic dislocations .

“In achieving this, as soon as budget proposals are received from the executive in September, this Senate will spend only three months for its consideration and passage .

“It is our determination that once the executive does its own side of the processes by presenting budget proposal in September of every year, we ‘ll ensure the passage of the budget before embarking on Christmas break in December, “ he said .

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