It was gathered that during a 2 hour deliberation behind closed doors the senators resolved to reject the reduction of salaries and allowances as recommended by the Senator James Manager’s committee.
The senators said it was not possible to accept pay cut with other beneficiaries of the N120bn National Assembly annual budget not doing same. He said his colleagues also resolved to reject the report because the recommendations were not practicable.
Some other senators on condition of anonymity said further consideration of the finance committee report was stepped down because many of their colleagues rejected the contents of the report.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), said senators told themselves the truth at the session on the need to be very cautious on accepting reduction of salaries and allowances.
Urhoghide said that majority of the senators agreed that “funny allowances” like the monthly N42,000 wardrobe allowance should be cut off completely.
He said
“Yes, as recommended by the committee, all senators agreed that there must be openness in Senate budget and by extension, that of the National Assembly.
“At the same time, many reasoned that why should we further reduce our budget when already, N30bn has been reduced from the traditional 150bn that it used to be for all the seven different organs of the National Assembly.
“All of us have people in our constituencies and financial requests from them keep piling up on a daily basis, the reality of which made steps to be redirected, otherwise, some of us may stop coming here.”
The committee, also recommended the publication of all the payments accruable to each senator on a quarterly basis.
However, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at plenary, explained that “Senate in closed session deliberated on the report of the finance committee but agreed to stand it down for further legislative input.”
Addressing journalists after plenary, Senate spokesperson, Senator Dino Melaye, said further action on the report was put on hold because the senate budget was an integral part of the National Assembly budget being jointly shared by seven bodies.
Melaye said:
“The Senate today, in closed-door session, discussed the report of the ad hoc committee on finances of the senate.
“After due deliberations by the senators, we came to the conclusion that since the budget of the Senate is not independent of the budget of the National Assembly, the budget of the House of Representatives is also inclusive.
“We have the management; we have the National Institute for Legislative Studies; we have even the Public Conduct Commission; the National Assembly Civil Service Commission, and over 3, 000 legislative aides, that are beneficiaries of the N120bn annual budget.
“Therefore, we have agreed that we should consult amongst other arms that share the budget of the National Assembly, before we would draw a conclusion on the report.
“So, the resolution is that we are going to interface with the House of Representatives so that we can be on the same page on the report as presented. This is the resolution of the Senate today in a closed-door session.”
Melaye denied reports that the National Assembly had been experiencing cash crunch despite the fact that some senators confirmed last week that they had not received salaries since their inauguration on June 9.
“I am not aware of any cash crunch, and for me, it is news from you, and I don’t think it is true,” he said.
He said that the senators had the power to reduce their own pay just like the President, the Vice President and some governors had done.
Melaye said
“It is the responsibility of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission to stipulate how much you would be paid. But you can sacrifice, as a public officer, to say: I am taking half of my salary, and then taking half back to the treasury.
“It means that it would be returned to the treasury, where it would be used for other developmental programmes.
“We would make wider consultations with the House of Representatives on the report because we have one National Assembly and whatever is going to affect the Senate, the House of Representatives should also be carried along and I am sure that after this consultation we will get back to the public.”
Punch
34 comments:
Group of mad Dogs and baboons
Criminal dey will nt accept it mtcheww
Lib freak
So you people want me to be paying tax and you will be receiving jumbo pay, you are not serious, you will meet heavy protest, no body begged you to come and be a senator, senate is not a commercial business for making money
Hustlers
We are waiting
Bihari is fighting a one man battle
SMH they would never have approved it, those lazy men would never reduce their source of income
You see them? Shameless, useless bastards! I wish they will all stop coming so that Buhari can take executive action and have them replaced. Sufferhead. Imagine people who have not been paid for years, and these monsters are crying over reduction. May they all choke on that salary!
Bunch of inconsiderate n greedy senators. Money is actually their primary motive of being in the NASS tho. I'm not surprised
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Thieves...and whr is that Noise Maker Ben Bruce??????
Odiegwu. Look at these people talking ?? This will not be cut down. Their own allowance is precious. Naija I dey hail.
So they won't allow their salaries slashed??? Greedy humans....αи∂ yet NYSC candidates are been paid just 19800? U can imagine d nonsense
#ITwillONLYgetBETTER
#itMUSTendINpraise
Greedy lot
So this ones am seeing are law makers buhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!looters,criminals and killers
#sad indeed
So this ones am seeing are law makers buhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!looters,criminals and killers
#sad indeed
So this ones am seeing are law makers buhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!looters,criminals and killers
#sad indeed
Well of course they would reject it and their reason isnt far fetched! #greedylions
Them no go gree nah, thief people. Mcheeeeeeew! Linda take note!
Them no go gree nah, thief people. Mcheeeeeeew! Linda take note!
Them no go gree nah, thief people. Mcheeeeeeew! Linda take note!
Ok they better reduce their pay annually oh! Becos I don't see any hard work they are doing @ the national assembly there.
Hmmmm. Indeed there is cash crunch and if am in their shoes, I wil reject any talk of pay cut mostly wit dis high rate of living@Abuja wit other miscellaneous expense's they face daily.
Its the main reason they are there in the first place. Now u want to take it away. Iffahear say them gree
HAHAHAHAHA, DE RIL DEM IS SHOWIN..HAHAHA....TOMJERRYSWIT
What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world. Whatever please they should just let us be.
Abeg ooooo mke dem no de reduce am naaaau my papa just get 1 kind beta job 4 dere oooo.
Selfish idiots.
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Its unfortunate that not only are some of these lawmakers greedy and heartless, they are also so foolish. If the people who voted for them are clamoring for reduction in their outrageous salary and allowances, the least they can do is show some respect or at least even pretend to be okay with it. I just pray there is a loophole in the constitution which can be hinged upon to make these clueless people do the right thing. whether they like it or not Nigeria will move forward to the greatness we desire for our children yet unborn.
Y'all know the funny thing about these greedy senators?
They would have used it as a campaign strategy that "if elected into NASS" they'll support the motion for a cut in their salaries n allowances. Now we can see the bunch of insincere people we have as leaders
I feel ur pains too.
Infact, i weep for this Country.
U can see dat d only reason dey are dere is for d money dey can get, certainly not for d good interest of d so many poor Nigerians, dey r only concerned abt d money dey need to use in showing off in public,to bring loads of girl friends to dubai,to live in 24bedroom duplex and den post same to LIB, dese are voracious glutons caring only for deir belly, no meaningful contributions to d good of Nigerians, one wld ve imagined dese bastards to hold an emergency meeting to relocating d internally displaces pple all over d country to at least a better place ,but no,deir emergency closed door meeting is for how much dey can get. Stupid jobless people dat think dey ve job., hungry men. It is only hungry pple like dem dat keep wanting more and more. And until all of u in dat so called smelling senate house come to d realisation dat money is d lowest form of wealth u shall continue to be hungry and living in d delusion dat u are super rich be cos u ve d chance to thief tax payee money thru d fat salary u ve refuse to cut down so oda Nigerians can smile. Ewus.
U can see dat d only reason dey are dere is for d money dey can get, certainly not for d good interest of d so many poor Nigerians, dey r only concerned abt d money dey need to use in showing off in public,to bring loads of girl friends to dubai,to live in 24bedroom duplex and den post same to LIB, dese are voracious glutons caring only for deir belly, no meaningful contributions to d good of Nigerians, one wld ve imagined dese bastards to hold an emergency meeting to relocating d internally displaces pple all over d country to at least a better place ,but no,deir emergency closed door meeting is for how much dey can get. Stupid jobless people dat think dey ve job., hungry men. It is only hungry pple like dem dat keep wanting more and more. And until all of u in dat so called smelling senate house come to d realisation dat money is d lowest form of wealth u shall continue to be hungry and living in d delusion dat u are super rich be cos u ve d chance to thief tax payee money thru d fat salary u ve refuse to cut down so oda Nigerians can smile. Ewus.
Self serving assholes.
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