Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has said that the National Assembly is broke and experiencing difficulties in meeting its financial obligations.
Ndume told news men in a chat that the situation is so bad that legislators are not receiving their allowances as and when due.
“I know that the whole country is in financial difficulty, not only the National Assembly.
“I have been in the National Assembly since 2003, but things keep getting worse. I think they paid us last month’s salary on the 16th of the following month or thereabout.”
He, however, said that the situation is not peculiar to the legislature, adding that other arms of government, including states, are facing similar problems.
“It is not only with the National Assembly; some states have not been able to pay salaries for six months, one year.
“Some states were even asking their workers to go and farm for two days and work for the other three days in a week. Even in the Presidency, they have tightened their belts on their expenditure and so, it’s a general phenomenon in the country.
“We used to receive running costs or allowances quarterly but now it is monthly and it doesn’t come as and when due.”
The Senate leader complained that Nigerians have had a wrong impression of the workings of the legislature, adding that Nigerians appear to see the legislators as corrupt which he said is not true.
“If the National Assembly is so corrupt and you can make much money, then tell me one National Assembly member that is living in luxury after leaving office. Some of my colleagues who lost out in the 2015 election are struggling to pay their children’s school fees; some of them are even struggling to take care of their health.
“If the National Assembly was where you come and make a lot of money, how come one year after leaving you cannot meet your basic needs,’’ he asked rhetorically.” [myad]
