Legislators spend N5.2 billion per bill in two years

Nigeria’s National Assembly (NASS) which is facing a backlog of unfinished business and increasing public dis- approval, has spent N5.2 billion on average, to pass a bill in the past two years.

The legislators are on pace to pass less than 10 percent of bills before them, since the inauguration of the 7th Assembly (2011-2015) on 6th June, 2011.

The NASS which comprises a Senate and House of Representatives has passed 69 bills out of a total of 725 bills in various stages of progress before it, according to BusinessDay’s analysis of the bill progression chart of both houses, gotten from the assembly’s website.

Meanwhile 73 percent of people in Nigeria thought that parliament or legislature was affected by corruption, data from Transparency Internationals (TI) most recent global corruption barometer shows. Ninety-four percent of respondents in the same TI survey said Nigerian political parties were affected by corruption.

The Nigerian legislature had a budget of N232.7 billion for 2011, N150 billion for 2012, and N150 billion for 2013.

The prorated cost of running the 7th NASS since its inauguration in 2011 till date, amounts to N360.74 billion ($2.2 billion), meaning N5.22 billion was spent on average, by the legislature, to pass one bill.

Major pieces of legislation left undone by the legislators include the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which aims to unify all the necessary legislation in one bill and provide a clear framework for investment in Nigeria’s energy sector.

“The slow pace of progress on key legislation is a concern for investors,” said Razia Khan, regional head of research, Africa, at Standard Chartered Bank, in response to BusinessDay questions.

“Even in the case of the budget, if Nigeria were forced to act swiftly to any new external developments, the long-drawn out process of approving budget amendments does not inspire much confidence that the country might have the budget flexibility required to take prompt action in the event of an external shock.”

The PIB which may help improve job creation and revenues for the government at all levels (Federal, State and Local) and in theory better the lives of the 70 percent of Nigerians who live below the poverty line, has been stuck in parliament for over four years.

This has led to lost or deferred investment of at least $28 billion in Nigeria’s oil sector since 2010, according to ExxonMobil’s Nigerian producing unit, with the beneficiaries being other producers in the sub-region, such as Angola and Ghana.

Other important bills awaiting passage are a Health insurance amendment bill, Railway act amendment bill, Housing trust fund bill and a whistle blower bill.

The legislator’s 2013 budget of N150 billion amounts to N319.8 million per legislator per annum, or $1.97 million, and is about 1,400 times the Nigerian minimum wage of N18, 000 per month or N216,000 per annum.

The NASS budget for 2013 is also equivalent to 9.2 percent of the FG’s 2013 capital expenditure budget.

“The FG is faced with a huge infrastructural deficit but has limited means to address it, given the predominance of non-discretionary spending such as wages in the 2013 budget… including 8 percent of the total for statutory transfers, principally to the National Assembly and National Judicial Council,” said FBN Capital analysts, led by Gregory Kronsten, in a note released July 9.

The cost of running the Nigerian National Assembly has serially been named as one of the highest in the world. The upper and lower houses of Nigeria’s National Assembly consists of a 109-member Senate and the 360-member House of Representatives.

“Anything that contributes to a high recurrent expenditure bill is a concern for investors,” Khan said.

“This also impedes budget flexibility. The higher the spend on recurrent expenditure, the greater the concern.”

http://businessdaynigeria.com/legislators-spend-n52-billion-bill-two-years

What about the progressive APC thieves? Are they part of this same unproductive NASS?

Anyway, I'm not surprised. 90% of the time, the NASS is either passing useless motions, probing everybody except themselves or fighting the executive. Less than 10% of their time is spent on lawmaking.

I wonder why people are not commenting on this.These guys are busy robbing us blind and alll we care about is who is evicted on BBA..Shame

MODS FRONT PAGE PLS

paddy_lo: I wonder why people are not commenting on this.These guys are busy robbing us blind and alll we care about is who is evicted on BBA..Shame

Tragic.....and this is the biggest indicator of how Nigeria has a long way to go. A largely apathetic and unfocused youth class is never a good thing for even a decent Country let alone one with the serious problems and challenges Nigeria faces.

@Topic.

Legislators, whether PDP or ACN, make far too much than is healthy for Nigeria. What the Nation spends maintaining our worthless Upper and Lower legislative Houses is one of the biggest drain on the income of Nigeria. I don't expect our legislators to be the ones to ever initiate a move against themselves and I think even as we have bright men like Anyoaku who have consistently suggested the way out of the morass we are in, it is instructive and thoroughly depressing that it is usually Nigerians out of power saying what Anyaoku does below and never those currently in power, from every ethnic group, who actually control the offices to bring about the required changes.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/en/component/k2/item/16686-6-federating-units-will-solve-nigeria%E2%80%99s-crisis-anyaoku.html

6 federating units will solve Nigeria’s crisis - Anyaoku

Written by
Monday, 15 July 2013 01:54



[Chief Emeka Anyaoku] CHIEF Emeka Anyaoku, a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, said that the only way to put an end to the problems and crisis in Nigeria was to return to true federalism.

Anyaoku said this at a public lecture entitled: “God in my Life,” organised by Torchbearers Society of Arch Bishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos.

He stressed the need for the country to become a federation of six units, with each unit developing at its own space.
According to him, a federation of six geo-political zones will trigger competitive development, thereby solving the crisis in our country.

“Our country is facing serious crisis and our leaders and our elites are living in denial of this serious crisis.

“When we were a country of four regions, we were developing faster with all the sectors in each region doing so well.
“Think of the achievements of this country then, the Universal Primary Education in western region, the agricultural development in Northern Nigeria and the Industrial revolution in the Eastern region.

“I believe we should go back to a federation of six units, where the six geo-political zones will develop at its own pace; that will solve two of our major problems,’’ he said.

Anyaoku said that the first problem was that the current structure of 36 states, with 36 state assemblies, 36 civil services, 36 judiciaries and all other components was expensive to run.

[b]“With this kind of structure, it means that we continue to spend about 70 per cent or more of our resources on just administration. We cannot develop on that pace.


“And worst still, I believe that the present structure of an all powerful centre, which exists on the basis of anta to the states, creates a destablising competition for the control of that centre.

“And its competition that fuels the primordial sentiments of tribes and religion because each tribe and each religion wants to control the all powerful centre,’’ he added.

Anyaoku, however, called for the transformation of the Nigeria polity, which he said, was been driven by quest for power and money.

“We should transform the nature of our politics because our politics today breeds the culture of corruption which is the biggest evil that is facing our country.

“We must return to politics that rediscovers the values of hard work and that money is not everything,” he said

Gbawe:

Tragic.....and this is the biggest indicator of how Nigeria has a long way to go. A largely apathetic and unfocused youth class is never a good thing for even a decent Country let alone one with the serious problems and challenges Nigeria faces.

@Topic.

Legislators, whether PDP or ACN, make far too much than is healthy for Nigeria. What the Nation spends maintaining our worthless Upper and Lower legislative Houses is one of the biggest drain on the income of Nigeria. I don't expect our legislators to be the ones to ever initiate a move against themselves and I think even as we have bright men like Anyoaku who have consistently suggested the way out of the morass we are in, it is instructive and thoroughly depressing that it is usually Nigerians out of power saying what Anyaoku does below and never those currently in power, from every ethnic group, who actually control the offices to bring about the required changes.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/en/component/k2/item/16686-6-federating-units-will-solve-nigeria%E2%80%99s-crisis-anyaoku.html

As laudable as that may be, it will be easier for the camel to pass thru the eye of the needle than for such to happen. The present structure is IRREVERSIBLE, except any of the following occurs:
- there's another civil war
- the country breaks up
- crude oil dries up or loses its value

Sincere 9gerian:
As laudable as that may be, it will be easier for the camel to pass thru the eye of the needle than for such to happen. The present structure is IRREVERSIBLE, except any of the following occurs:
- there's another civil war
- the country breaks up
- crude oil dries up or loses its value

there is what they call citizn initiative.
its a means of enforcing a law by the citizens.

Meanwhile, the US Congress has passed 283 bills into law since 2011 (See Source)

What a country.

I pity this country; but what can I do?

The PIB which may help improve job creation and revenues for the government at all levels (Federal, State and Local) and in theory better the lives of the 70 percent of Nigerians who live below the poverty line, has been stuck in parliament for over four years.

This has led to lost or deferred investment of at least $28 billion in Nigeria’s oil sector since 2010, according to ExxonMobil’s Nigerian producing unit, with the beneficiaries being other producers in the sub-region, such as Angola and Ghana.

So the pussilanimity of these legis-looters have cost the nation investments which are almost equal to the entire budget of 2013.

Why we haven't recalled all of these incompetent, prevaricating lawmakers is beyond me.

Sincere 9gerian:
As laudable as that may be, it will be easier for the camel to pass thru the eye of the needle than for such to happen. The present structure is IRREVERSIBLE, except any of the following occurs:
- there's another civil war
- the country breaks up
- crude oil dries up or loses its value

You excluded two important items

- there's a coup which rids the country of most of the 'owners of Nigeria'
- Buhari becomes the next Nigerian President

The whole structure is flawed ab initio and designed to maximize legitimate fraud.

That's why the leeches that constituted the House of Assembly since the advent of the fourth republic are largely unproductive.

The expectations, clearly spelt out in the nation’s Constitution, have remained more or less a mirage, while obscene self-service and personal aggrandizement seem to be the primary motive.

What the country need is to return to part-time legislature for profound reduction in the cost of governance to allow huge funds for development.

Bunch of Vampires they are!

Mods pls put this prescient topic on FP thanks

ndu_chucks:

You excluded two important items

- there's a coup which rids the country of most of the 'owners of Nigeria'
- Buhari becomes the next Nigerian President

@Ndu_chuks

You know very well that a coup or Buhari is not the answer to this problem.
The Generals that overthrew the turkish government in the 1980s are on trial in turkey right now.
Buhari and his likes should he on trial, the fact they can bring themselves out for political office is a reflection of how unserious we are as a country.

My own solution would be for the youth to get more enligthened and demand or the drastic reduction in legislators pay as well as the passage of bills that will improve their economic wellbeing, such as a social security bill or social safety net bill.

Let there be revolution... This I pray thee oh! God.

Hahahahaha, No be the same legislooters which APC/ACN/CPC the so called opposition are among? They keep diverting attention and blaiming GEJ. yeye people, Lai Mohammed wont talk now because their members are benefiting from the thievery.

ndu_chucks:

You excluded two important items

- there's a coup which rids the country of most of the 'owners of Nigeria'
- Buhari becomes the next Nigerian President

Never gonna happen, You can talk of revolution by the masses but as for a coup and buhari becoming the president of Nigeria, we have long passed that stage.

Am happy that all who have commented on this thread agree that our legislators are actually not pushing for the interest of the masses who sent them there..since we have found out one of our problems let's unite together to demand accountability from these guys the way we demand from the executive...

5

awodman: Am happy that all who have commented on this thread agree that our legislators are actually not pushing for the interest of the masses who sent them there..since we have found out one of our problems let's unite together to demand accountability from these guys the way we demand from the executive...

Yes

last try mods send this to front page...sigh

HNosegbe: Meanwhile, the US Congress has passed 283 bills into law since 2011 (See Source)

What a country.

And I imagine that the US lawmakers did it for much less than our lazy law breakers in Abuja.

Chei ya.. I feel so sad for dis country. But are our elites (the wole soyinkas and the femi falanas) not aware of this egregious menace that is going on If so what are they saying about it SMH...

Give us news pls...

How does this stop them from stealing more?

How will this stop jonathan and his hipopotamus from eating 1B worth of food for d year?

How will this stop ojukwu from wearing woman's cloth and flee to heaven from hell?

We want regions!!!!!!

Front page things