BEVERLY HILLS, February 11, (THEWILL) – Despite the humongous allocations that have accrued to it over the years, Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the House of Representatives, on Monday, in Abuja, said the National Assembly is underfunded.
This is because “the National Assembly is an arm of government, and cannot be compared to a ministry,” he said.
Mr Kalu said this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday while responding to how the National Assembly views the paltry allocation to ministries such as education, health, agriculture, in spite of international treaties which the country is a signatory and requires the country to allocate more.
“How can you compare a ministry with an arm of government? We are an arm of the government. Those ministries you mentioned are under the arm of the government. The National Assembly is the engine room to create for the executive how to function.
“When they say they want to go for oversight function, you say they should go in keke napep. Whereas the directors in the MDAs who are lower in comparison are driving beautiful cars and sitting in the offices. Those who need the car would go for oversight, using motorbikes.”
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The lawmaker maintained that the funds the legislature get have not ‘accrued’ over the years. Rather it has stagnated despite changes in market value and exchange rates.
“If you look at the budget for the last 10 to 20 years, you will see that it has been within the same bracket,” Mr Kalu said. “Also if you consider the purchasing power and the exchange rate over the years, there is a very huge difference between what it used to be and what it is now. It can’t purchase what it used to purchase.”
The spokesperson added that with the National Assembly “allocation stagnated,” its staff keeps increasing in number and so are its activities especially as regards oversight functions. This he said is because the MDAs under the executive arm are increasing.
“When you look at the number of the oversight functions of the House, it has increased because the number of the MDAs of the executive has increased. Oversight costs money. Don’t rely on MDAs, if you do that, you are compromised. The House on its own is supposed to have enough budget to do what Nigerians want them to do,” Mr Kalu said.
He added: “If you put in (N)1 trillion (as the budget of an agency) and you give the National Assembly 10 million, how can you use less than 1 per cent to oversight a project of that enormous size? This is what you are not telling the public, you want me to (oversee) a ministry that has 1 trillion and you don’t give me up to 10 million to fuel my car, buy (flight) ticket.
“A watchdog needs to be fed for it to do its work. You starve your dog and you expect it to carry out its work? You don’t give him food, you cage him and you expect him to watch the enemies come in. This is why we need funding. This money is not going to individual pockets. That is why the committees are complaining.”
