New Telegraph

We’re broke, Reps cry out

The House of Representatives has again confirmed that it is facing financial crisis, which is negatively affecting its activities.
Spokesman for the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who confirmed this in Abuja at a press conference, also said the lower chamber was owning contractors and consultants.
“Yes, the House is broke, I have said it before and I am saying it again and I am not afraid to say it. The House is broke and it is afraid to appropriate the sufficient amount for them to do their job.
“The House is broke and is afraid of your complaints as Nigerians to make provision for what will make them run the activities of the House effectively. That is why today, here is hot; that is why the hearing rooms are not fixed; that is why the house is indebted to contractors who provide one form of service or the other,” he stated.
Explaining why the N128 billion National Assembly budget is inadequate, Kalu said: “This is the fact. Until Nigerians believe that the appropriation that was made for the running of the National Assembly, which happened when naira was 160 to the dollar, is less now than what it used to be.
“The dollar equivalent of naira today has gone up to over N400. The purchasing power of the budget as it is now is weaker than it was 10 years ago. The budget of the National Assembly is supposed to be reviewed, in view of its purchasing ability, of the services that will help the parliament to move forward.
“At the moment, it is a weak budget and that is the truth. I have actually fought with the leadership of the House and I have asked the question, ‘Why are you afraid to raise the budget of the National Assembly that will enable us to conduct our services efficiently and effectively?’
“We appropriate for agencies to run effectively, yet we are in penury to our own constitutional mandate. It is a disservice to Nigerians; the poor budget of the parliament is a disservice to Nigerians.”

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