“Lawmakers Do A Lot,” Buhari Justifies Assembly Swallowing Massive Share of Nigeria’s Budget in Salaries, Largesse

  • RELATED: PREMIUM TIMES had on August 18 2015 published a report indicating that the 360 members of the House of Representatives gulp N6.58 billion from the nation’s treasury in annual salaries and allowances, while the 109 Senators cost the nation N2.14 billion in similar emoluments. Cumulatively, the country shells out a hefty N8.72 billion every year in salaries and allowances to lawmakers in the two chambers of the National Assembly.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has said that contrary to popular perception in the country, members of the National Assembly were working.

Buhari, who was represented by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said this during the launch of Green Chamber Magazine, a publication of the House of Representatives in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said, “Hitherto, the public perception of the National Assembly is that of a bicameral legislature where overly comfortable and highly overpaid members merely stuff wads of currency notes into their pockets for little work done. 

“This wrong perception has resulted partly from the lack of understanding of the enormous work of lawmakers, especially outside the glare of television cameras.

“In addition, it will help the house to tell its own story, rather than relying on others to take charge of their narrative. 

“It is said that no one can tell your story better than you. This magazine is long overdue. But like the saying goes, it’s better late than never.”

SR