NASS compiles N30b benefits for outgoing, incoming members
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
New members of the National Assembly (NASS) and those not re-elected are to get a total N30 billion package as being compiled by the NASS management.
House of Representatives Clerk Yahaya Danzaria disclosed this in a notice to members at plenary.
The 9th NASS inaugurated on 11 June 2019 is expected to wind down by the first week of June 2023 to pave the way for the inauguration of the 10th NASS on 13 June 2023.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila read out Danzaria’s notice on the floor of the House.
The notice asked “all honourable members to collect their clearance forms for the payment of severance gratuity from the Office of the Clerk to the House and submit same after completion in Annex Room 2.154 or 2.031, Finance and Accounts Directorate on or before Friday, June 9, 2023.”
The 2023 Appropriation Act ring-fences N30 billion as severance package for outgoing 9th NASS members and welcome package for 10th NASS members.
Under statutory transfers, the NASS and its affiliate bodies will spend a total N194,839,144,401 this financial year, up on N169 billion proposed for the federal bi-cameral legislature in the original bill.
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Budget breakdown
The PUNCH reports details of the budget as follows:
- Severance/inauguration of outgoing 9th and incoming 10th Assembly (legislators and legislative aides) – N30,173,520,592
- National Assembly Office – N30,492,518,529
- Senate – N33,267,001,807
- House of Representatives – N51,994,511,954
- National Assembly Service Commission – N10,555,809,322
- Legislatives Aides – N16,520,653,763
- PAC (Senate) – N118,970,215
- PAC (House of Representatives) – N142,764,258
- National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies – N7,411,813,596
- Service Wide Vote – N671,335,001
- Office of Retired Clerks and Permanent Secretaries – N1,059,121,701
- Appropriation Committee Department (Senate) – N125,000,000
- Appropriation Committee Department (House) – N165,000,000
- National Assembly Library building (ongoing) – N4,250,000,000.
- General Services – N11,307,475,470
- Hosting of Conference of Speakers of African Parliament – N127,500,000
- NASS Liabilities – N8,500,000,000
- NASS e-Library – N255,000,000
- NASS Dashboard – N118,150,000
- Constitution Review – N850,000,000
- Completion of NASS Library Complex (repeated) – N7,500,000,000
- Completion of NILDS HQ – N2,500,000,000
- NASC building construction – N10,000,000,000
Benefits for other former public officials
Elsewhere, benefits for retired heads of government agencies and parastatals will cost N1 billion, per The PUNCH.
Former Presidents/Heads of State and Vice Presidents/Chief of General Staff will get a total N2.3 billion.
The beneficiaries include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari; former military Heads of State Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Yakubu Gowon; as well as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo.
The final pay for Buhari and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governors, and other political appointees may cost about N64.72 billion.
The beneficiaries include Ministers, Commissioners, NASS members, and Special Advisers but not Special Assistants and state Assembly members.
The figures were calculated from the allocation by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) for salaries and allowances for one month, as well as for severance gratuity (300 per cent of basic salary).
