The National Assembly is facing serious financial crunch as a result of huge debt running into billions of naira, Daily Trust has reliably gathered.
The debts were owed contractors for the supply of office facilities, lawmakers’ vehicles, and maintenance costs among others.

Contractors and suppliers are grumbling over the inability of the National Assembly management to liquidate the accumulated debts.
It was gathered that the situation has forced the management of the National Assembly to take cost cutting measures including the slashing down of salaries of legislative aides by about 70 percent.
A source familiar with the workings of the National Assembly told Daily Trust that the management is now taking inventory of the debt stock.
The source said some of the debts were incurred through contracts that might not have been executed. “It is a yearly occurrence,” the source added.

“There are huge debts, no doubt. They’re still in the process of compiling,” said the source.
One legislative aid said, “The situation is so worrisome that the new Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori has demanded for the comprehensive details of the debts profile.”

Asked about the major contracts being awarded by the National Assembly, the source said they included office facilities, vehicles, and maintenance.
“You’ll be shocked if you know the monumental corruption taking place in the management of the National Assembly. They change office equipment every year on paper, but you don’t get to see anything.
“You can imagine even the maintenance being carried out by Julius Berger at the time was done on credit. It was because of the way they were going about the whole thing that Berger backed out from the contract of maintaining the NASS complex.
“There are a lot of things my brother. Some of them would raise fake vouchers just to divert the money. Somebody would say he has travelled to somewhere, whereas he was in his house.

“They also have ghost workers among the NASS staff, but because nobody probes them, people don’t get to know. With this kind of things, how do you expect the country to change?” said the source, who did not want to be named.
A management staff of the National Assembly told one of our correspondents that the situation was compounded by what he called, “irregular release of funds by the executive arm of government.”

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity said unlike before when their funds were released quarterly, the National Assembly funds were being released by the executive arm monthly.
“Until this administration, the National Assembly funds were released quarterly but now the present administration has adopted a new style. We are now getting our money monthly.

“This is negatively affecting us because after paying salaries of lawmakers, their aides and National Assembly staff, the remaining money is hardly enough for the day-to-day running of our operations,” he said.
Confirming the situation, a top management staff said they had stopped awarding major contracts.
He said the debt was affecting the lawmakers whom he added were not getting what they used to get before.
He however, said, “We are not the only ones owing, the executive and Judiciary owe too. Ours was worsened by the slashing down of our budget from N150billion to N115 billion.”

The budget of the National Assembly that was N23.347 billion in 2003 went up to as much as N150 billion for four years (2010 to 2013) but was slashed to N120 billion in 2014 and N115 billion in 2015 and 2016.
The National Assembly budget is still shrouded in secrecy despite promise by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to make the details public.

Contacted, the spokesperson of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said he was not aware of the huge debt.
“I don’t know anything about the debt and it’s shouldn’t be an issue. After all, what is the total debt stock of Nigeria? There is no how an institution or country will not owe. The United States is the most heavily indebted nation. You should please concentrate on issues that would contribute in the development of the country.

“Today (yesterday) I read somewhere that the UN is saying that that the 15million unemployed Nigerians is a time bomb. This is the issue that should worry us. I will prefer to channel my energy on issues that would bring about development in this country. We expect the media to key into the development agenda of this government by setting agenda on developmental issues, “he said.

Also, the Director of Information of the National Assembly, Mr Ishaku Dibal, said he was not aware of any debt being owed by the assembly, but that he would find out from his superiors and get back to us. He never did up to the time of filing this report.
Mgt demotes Saraki, Dogara’s aides

Meanwhile, the National Assembly management has demoted more than half of the aides engaged by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and others, Daily Trust has reliably gathered.
It was gathered that the decision to demote the aides was due to over bloated number of aides engaged by Saraki, Dogara, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuf Suleimon Lasun.

Daily Trust had exclusively reported in March, this year that the National Assembly bureaucracy requested the presiding officers to reduce the number of their aides by at least 60 percent as part of cost cutting measures.
At that time, the four presiding officers had hired 400 aides with Saraki having 112 aides, Dogara about 170, Deputy Ekweremadu 60 and Lasun 58.

It was gathered that the refusal of the presiding officers to heed to the request forced the management of the National Assembly to demote their aides.
The demotion, our correspondent gathered affected almost all aides of the Federal lawmakers including those who were engaged by Senators and Reps.

The findings of our correspondents showed that monthly, a Special Adviser earns N1,040,000, the Senior Special Assistant, N1million, Senior Legislative Aide, N350,000 and the lowest cadre, legislative aide earn N200,000.

The development has shrunk the finances of the legislative aides as those who were collecting N1,040,000 before now earn N309, 000 monthly.
Speaking to our correspondents, one of the affected aides (name withheld), said his salary had been slashed by 70 percent.
“When we were appointed my salary was over N1million but now I’m earning N300,000. The slash started in April when we were paid our four months outstanding salaries,” he said.

He said there was no communication on the slash, adding that, “we were not told the yardstick used and no memo was given to us in this regard.
“My worry is that despite this problem more aides are being engaged. In fact, from June to date over 20 new aides have been recruited by the presiding officers, “ he said.

Efforts to get the reaction of National Assembly management failed but a source close to it told our correspondents that the refusal of the presiding officers to reduce their aides forced them (National Assembly management) to demote their aides.

“It is not true that their salaries were slashed by 70 percent, but if you say that they were demoted, you are correct. It is just a move to correct errors that have been on over the years. The aides are earning outrageous salaries and this is being corrected now,” he said.
When contacted, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Saraki, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu declined comment.

However, a source close to the Senate President’s office confirmed the development but pointed out that it was done across board.

They change office equipment every year on paper, but you don’t get to see anything.

At that time, the four presiding officers had hired 400 aides with Saraki having 112 aides, Dogara about 170, Deputy Ekweremadu 60 and Lasun 58.

recievesense:
The corruption in this country is enough to make the devil resign his position and go on sabbatical leave.

Choi

National and Assembly and corruption are like.....

Abeg who get that picture?

madridguy:
At that time, the four presiding officers had hired 400 aides with Saraki having 112 aides, Dogara about 170, Deputy Ekweremadu 60 and Lasun 58.

ChappyChase:

After seeing ^^^ we go still dey wonder why we dey suffer for this country?

kuuljay:
Sadly some people will not even read before they start blaming the president .

madridguy:
I tire for my beloved country.

modath:






One day, one day, when we'd have had it up to our "temples" (neck not enough), we'll grow ginormous cojones & march to that den of corruption named NASS,& proceed to burn the whole place down.. 75% of this nation's problems originate from there.

If they are not padding budget, they are missing sessions so no meaningful bill that will advance the lives of their constituencies, or they are receiving bribe from the executives to look the other way!!

One single life and destiny changing bill, in 17+yrs, we've not seen one!! God punish

recievesense:
The corruption in this country is enough to make the devil resign his position and go on sabbatical leave.

Choi

National and Assembly and corruption are like.....

Abeg who get that picture?