The budget of the National Assembly for the year was
slashed from N150 billion to N120 billion. One of the key
recommendations of the Senate Committee is that the red
chamber should make its records of finances open to
Nigerians.
The Committee was chaired by Senator James Manager.
It was said to have recommended that, in line with the
transparency and openness promised by the Senate
President in his inaugural speech, details of the finances of
the chamber should be made more transparent.
The implication of the recommendation is that details of
funds allocated to the Senate, the budget heads and the rate
of budget performance will become public knowledge in
addition to the breakdown of other funds available so that
the public can be aware.
But, ahead of the Tuesday plenary, Sunday Vanguard learnt,
at the weekend, that there is a division among senators on
whether to adopt the Committee’s recommendation, and
this may lead to rancour on the floor of the chamber.
Many senators, particularly the ranking ones, are said to be
opposed to opening up of the finances of the Senate for
public scrutiny as they argued that it was an unnecessary
concession and “mere public relations gimmick”.
Meanwhile, the ‘pro openness’ lawmakers believe that
making public the Senate finances is a strong signal that it
will be transparent in its financial dealings.
The ‘anti-openness’ senators, it was understood, explained
that legislature’s funds are on first line charge which
precludes it from any form of control by any executive body
or agency, just like the funds budgeted for the judiciary.
They further argued that the present position has been
maintained since 1999 and it does not contradict any law.
So, they wondered why the need to change a stable
process.
The group noted that the Senate would not achieve anything
by opening up its financial books for public scrutiny and that
the gesture will not change the position and perception of
the public that the legislature is a ‘money guzzler’.
“What we need to do is to be more efficient In our legislative
duties, particularly the lawmaking and oversight functions.
We should also avoid any form of financial scandal or
recklessness. All these university student radicalism is not
feasible and will not work. It will not only be counter-
productive, it may also backfire”, a second term senator
said while opposing the position of the Committee.
The Adhoc Committee , which had ranking Senators Ahmed
Sani Yerima as a member, among others, also had younger
lawmakers like Dino Melaye and Shehu Sani. The
Committee’s work took longer time than earlier allocated in
order to balance the views of the various tendencies and
came out with a report that is believed to have the
possibility of further endearing the Senate to the public.
One of the Like Minds senators, one of the two groups that
emerged in the Senate in the wake of the leadership crisis
(the other being Unity Forum), who spoke on condition of
anonymity, explained why the Tuesday plenary may be
turbulent. He said: “The Senate President has said it several
times to the national and international audiences that the
eighth Senate will be transparent, open and comply with
international best practices.
“The need to be open and let our financial facts and figures
be known to all has become a creed between us and the
public. That is one of the new things that will set the eighth
Senate apart from the others. We will support our President
to achieve this”.
Sources disclosed that the ‘pro-openness’ senators also
argued that the recommendation is one of the strongest
signals the legislative body can send to the international
community, civil society groups and ordinary people that it
is ready to do things differently.
“The entire world has bought into the change agenda and
one of the key areas of the change agenda is this anti-
corruption campaign. You cannot fight corruption except
you open up the financial process. We cannot afford to
renege on the promise we made from the beginning. How
can we conduct oversight investigation on others if we do
not start from our own home? This report is our opportunity
to convince the world that the positive change we canvass
starts from us”, another of the Like Minds senators told
Sunday Vanguard.
Saraki was said to have been put under pressure by both
groups and it was not clear what the Senate President will
decide. Sources claimed the groups spent most of the
weekend consulting “because the issue of money is a
delicate one”.
Senate watchers believe it is in the interest of the Senate for
all of them to be on the same page on the issue,
particularly, since it will serve common goal. The issue of a
more transparent financial process featured prominently in
discussions that Saraki and other senators had with some
foreign envoys and other groups that had paid courtesy visit
on the Senate leadership since June 9 when the legislative
body was inaugurated.
In the meantime, Melaye, who is the Chairman, Senate Ad-
hoc Committee on Information and Publicity, last night, said
the decision on the Committee on Finance report will be
based on the wish of the majority of senators.
To him, democracy is a game of numbers. According to him,
while the minority will have its say, the majority would have
its way.
“The report is ready and submitted and, when it comes up
for deliberation, the session will not be stormy. Democracy
is a game of numbers; the minority will have its say, and
the majority its way.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/national-assembly-n120b-budget-senate-heads-for-stormy-session/

Join me celebrate fellow nairalanders cause today is my birthday...

Sai chanji! no wahala!

Nice move

LegisLOOTERS

Lols...some of this senathiefs who don dey form money no dey for dia relatives don dey fear say their dependants would increase geometrically if this recommendation shld. Succeed. Hmmm, we dey watch.

Only d corrupt ones are kicking against d openess of d Senate finance, probably d old senators.
SAI BUHARI!d first poster needs some procold

Watching in 3D from my yatch.