ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Reps to investigate political parties

The National Assembly

SHOCKING: 2015 Budget: National Assembly’s N150billion enough to fund capital votes for 20 Federal MDAs

byJoshua Olufemi,Ibanga Isineand1 others
May 18, 2015
3 min read

The whopping N150 billion allocated to the National Assembly in the 2015 Appropriation Act, can fund capital votes for 20 Ministries, Departments and Parastatals [MDAs], a PREMIUM TIMES analysis of the budget has shown.

The budget of the 469-member National Assembly consisting of 109 senators, 360 members of the House of Representatives, legislative aides, the National Assembly Commission and the Legislative Institute is about 3.4 percent of the total budget of the federation.

The capital vote for 20 major ministries, departments and parastatals is just about N49 million less than is budgeted for the National Assembly this year.

Under the 2015 capital votes, the Ministry of Youth Development got only N1.12billion Ministry of Police Affairs got N150billion, while Police Formations and Commands got only N17billion.

The Ministry of Women Affairs is allocated N1. 25billion for its capital projects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development got N7billion and Ministry of Water Resources N6billion.

The defence sector, including the Ministry of Defence, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force is allocated only N35billion.

The education sector, including the Federal Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Commission, is allocated N20billion, while the Federal Ministry of Health got N20billion.

The Federal Ministry of Communication Technology got N500million only while the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission (N500, 000, 003) received the same allocation for capital projects.

The Ministry of Labour and Productivity is allocated a paltry N200, 000, 000 for its capital projects during the year while the Ministry of Power got N4.24billion.

RelatedNews

VIDEO: Why FEC approved additional N8.39 billion for Sokoto-Tambuwal road – Fashola

Buhari greets Oshunkeye, 2006 CNN African Journalist of the Year, at 65

U.S. COVID-19 cases rise as more states ease restrictions

Chad’s President wins reelection, extending 30 years in power

The Ministry of Science and Technology is given N500 million while the Ministry of Transport got about N4billion and the Petroleum Resources N500million.

With the worsening condition of roads in the country, the Federal Ministry of Works got only about N11billion while with even close to the 15 million housing deficit facing the country, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development got only N500million.

The Federal Ministry of Environment is also allocated about N500million while the office of the National Security Adviser got N20billion.

TEXEM

While getting one of the largest sectoral allocations in the country, the Nigerian lawmakers managed to approve only 106 new laws out of 1,063 brought before them in the last four years.

Background

Despite their dismal performances, the lawmakers have spent more than half a trillion naira within the period, earning the notorious title as the world’s highest paid legislators.
The figures mean for the National Assembly, with a combined annual budget of N150 billion since 2011, returned 10 per cent in efficiency and averaged about two bills each month.
Each year, the Senate, House of Representatives and allied institutions, compete for government funding with projects designed to provide jobs, healthcare, education and roads to the citizens.

While the Goodluck Jonathan administration has shown its preparedness to cut financing to those vital services to Nigerians in the face of dwindling revenues, the government has helped the lawmakers retain their super N150billion budget per year in the last four years.
Not even the present oil crisis has been enough to force the government to minimize the lawmakers’ comfort, by redirecting funds to critical areas badly starved of resources.
A typical example is the 2015 budget, affected massively by sliding oil price. The dwindling revenue forced the government to slash spending for roads – Ministry of Works – from about N160 billion to N11 billion for the entire nation. But the federal lawmakers refused to allow even a dime to be sliced off their N150 billion annual budget.

But while the lawmakers take so much, their work rate has been dismally poor, PREMIUM TIMES analysis show.

The miserable worth of Nigerian legislators’ output is amplified when compared with their American counterparts, for instance.

ADVERTISEMENT

While the legislature, under the leadership of David Mark and Aminu Tambuwal at the Senate and House of Representatives respectively managed to clear 106 bills in four years, the U.S. Congress passed 29​7​ just between 2013 and 2014.

That figure was indeed one of the lowest for any U.S. Congress session as the two chambers passed 604 in just 1999, and 460 between 2007 and 2008.

Yet, the Nigerian lawmakers are the highest paid, according to a 2012 analysis by the UK-based Economist.

The report compared lawmakers’ earnings with their countries’ GDP – what each citizen is worth if their nation’s total wealth was shared by the population.

The analysis found Nigeria ahead of all other countries of the world, with its lawmakers taking 116 times what an average citizen takes of the GDP.

Kenya and Ghana followed with ratios of 75 and 29.8 respectively.

Norway’s ratio was 1.8, while U.S. lawmakers took 3.8 of what their citizens received.

The United States pays its lawmakers an average annual salary of $174,000 while Britain pays parliamentarians $105,000.

Nigerian lawmakers officially receive a modest pay of about $50,000(about N12m) yearly.

But they also pocket several illegal allowances, including the huge quarterly allowance which is nearly a $1m (N220m) a year.

Bills passed in the 7th assembly

Even with the limited numbers of enacted laws, records show most of the bills came from the Executive. Many were budget bills.

While the lawmakers’ turnover has been poor, several critical bills lie abandoned.

The most notable is the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which has been at the National Assembly since 2008/2009.

Pressed on why the few bills passed by the Senate are mainly executive-sponsored, the Chairman of the Senate Business and Rules Committee, Ita Enang, said the upper chamber gives no preference to bills before it.

“We don’t select bills to pass, we pass bills based on priority. We don’t say we pass a bill because it is an executive bill,” Mr. Enang said.

Sam Tsokwa, the House of Representatives chairman on rules and business, did not respond to our questions despite scheduling several meetings with our correspondent.

NASS 2015 Budget enough for 20 MDAs-site

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (73)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Sunshine Stars secure 1-1 draw in Lafia

Next Post

National Assembly Members, ​Aides Asked To Vacate Offices

Joshua Olufemi

Joshua Olufemi

Joshua Olufemi is PREMIUM TIMES' head of Knowledge and Innovations. He is also the program director at the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism. Joshua is a 2019 Reagan-Fascell fellow of the National Endowment for Democracy. He holds a Master's degree in Measurement and Evaluation from the University of Lagos.

Ibanga Isine

Ibanga Isine

Richard Akinwumi

Richard Akinwumi

More News

House of representatives during plenary. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of House of Reps.]

Reps minority leader demands Pantami’s resignation

April 21, 2021
Chris Ngige

Why meeting with Nigerian govt failed to hold – JUSUN

April 21, 2021
Idriss Deby [PHOTO CREDIT: @MIdrissDebyItno]

Jonathan commiserates with Chadians over President Deby’s death

April 21, 2021
Ahmed Lawan in plenary [PHOTO CREDIT: @NgrSenate ]

Senate approves Buhari’s external loan request of $1.5bn, €995m

April 21, 2021
Oyo Ametokun security vans

Bandits kill Amotekun operative in Oyo

April 21, 2021
gunmen

Gunmen abduct construction workers in Ondo

April 21, 2021
Next Post
Nigerian National Assembly evacuated over bomb scare

National Assembly Members, ​Aides Asked To Vacate Offices

Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa State Governor

Bayelsa Governor blasts Amaechi, Jang, others;​ wants ​Governors' Forum election shelved

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Explore Akwa Ibom Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,655,518 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
    • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.