Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has stated that the House is broke, adding however that the leadership of the National Assembly is reluctant to increase the budgetary allocation from N128 billion.
Kalu, while addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, wondered why the leadership of the National Assembly is afraid to appropriate the sufficient amount for them to do their job.
He said: “I have actually fought with the leadership of the House, and I have asked the question: ‘why are you afraid to raise the budget of the National Assembly that will enable us conduct our services efficiently and effectively?’
“Yes the House is broke; I have said it before, and I am not afraid to say it again. It is afraid to appropriate the sufficient amount for them to do their job.”
He also revealed that the House is indebted to contractors who provide one form of service or another at the National Assembly complex because of paucity of fund.
According to Kalu, “Let us be fair in our analogy; let us wear the right spectacles when we analyse it, and you will find out that the N128 billion of the National Assembly is divided among all the agencies of the National Assembly, staff of over 3,000 to 6,000 members, and the aides-five aides per lawmaker.”
He added that the National Assembly has been appropriating adequate budgetary allocation to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), but the legislative arm is in penury, and finds it difficult to perform its legislative function.
