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Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly - Politics - Nairaland

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Senators, Reps Exchange Blows In Akpabio’s House Ahead Of Convention - TheNation / Cash Crunch: Senators, Reps Members Abandon Chambers In Search Of Money / Senators, Reps Lament: We’re Not Recouping Campaign Spending (2) (3) (4)

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Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by dre11(m): 12:03pm On Jul 11, 2016
•Legislators, Aides Yet To Receive June Salaries

• Oversight Functions, Committee Works Stalled


The economic downturn in the country is taking a toll on the activities of the National Assembly as cash crunch has hit the nation's apex parliament. The reality today is that lawmakers’ salaries are no longer forthcoming like in the past and oversight functions are being hampered.

New Telegraph learnt that the National Assembly members and their legislative aides are still owed June salaries and allowances. Some Special Assistants (SAs) to principal officers of the Senate were paid last in February.

A cross section of senators and members of the House of Representatives lamented that the cash crunch had prevented them from carrying out their legislative functions effectively as well as fulfilling their campaign promises to their constituents since their inauguration on June 9, 2015.

“We are not shielded from the economic reality in the country. As at today , my June salary has not been paid and I don't have an idea as to when it will be paid . Really, the economy of the country is really affecting legislative functions, ” a principal of the Senate told New Telegraph last night.

New Telegraph further learnt that the management and staff of the bureaucracy were not affected by the non - payment of salaries and allowances, as they were all paid before the end of June. Since the inauguration of the National Assembly on June 9, 2015 , it has been observed that both the lawmakers and their aides had hardly received their entitlements in good time.

The situation got bad such that legislative aides were owed January, February and March salaries up till April, when they were paid backlog of their monthly emoluments. One of the serving legislative aides, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said that the management of the National Assembly had not even paid the aides their duty tour allowances (DTA) from June last year when they resumed duty till date.

The management of the apex assembly also had issues with the legislative aides who served in the immediate last assembly , leading to the ex - aides staging a protest in September last year at the National Assembly complex over non - payment of their severance gratuity and DTA totalling N 7billion.

The legislative aides affected were those who worked with members of the Seventh National Assembly. Some of the aides, according to inquiries made by New Telegraph , were those who served as senior legislative aides (SLA ), legislative aides (LA), personal assistants (PA ) and personal secretaries to Senators and House members.

The management partly paid the ex -legislative aides by the end of January, while no specific date has been announced for the payment of the outstanding. Senator Sam Egwu (PDP, Ebonyi North), in an interview with our correspondent, lamented that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had negated the first line charge status of the National Assembly, resulting in the institution being treated as ministries in terms of accessing its funds.

Egwu said that he did not believe that President Muhammadu Buhari was, in anyway, part of starving the apex parliament of funds. He said: “Our salaries should be first line charge, but they are treating us as ministries. The Minister of Finance should do her job properly. I am saying so because I have been in the executive.

“She was a commissioner in the state and probably she thinks that she is still there. I don ’ t want to blame the president; the minister should just be guided to do her job well. “The crunch has nothing to do with my family; it is only affecting my committee work. We cannot meet as a committee or go on oversight since there is no money. ”

Also, Senator Obinna Ogba, who represents Ebonyi Central Senatorial District on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told our correspondent in a telephone chat yesterday that the development was not unconnected with the lingering strife between the executive and the National Assembly since last year.

Ogba noted that it had become a tradition in the apex legislative assembly for the lawmakers and their aides not to receive their emoluments in good time. He, however, stated that the situation did not affect him in meeting up his financial obligations to his family, pointing that it was only impacting negatively on his ability to fulfill his campaign promises to his constituents.

“The situation is no longer a new thing to us. It has been so , but it is not my duty to tell you why it is so; you have to find out from the executive arm. “Well , to answer your question, it may not be far from what you are suspecting to be the cause; that is the friction between the National Assembly and the executive. But you can do further investigation and confirm.

“I can assure you that it is not affecting my obligations to my family because I was doing something before I came to the Senate. However, it will not allow you to fulfill your promises to your constituents,” he stated. He said that it was the responsibility of the leadership of the National Assembly to find solution to the situation and not the individual lawmakers.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu admitted that the National Assembly is facing financial difficulties. “The financial situation is affecting everybody. I dip hand in my pocket to meet my constituency obligations.

I believe that it is man- made and I think it can be addressed with time ,” Anyanwu told New Telegraph. One of the legislative aides confirmed that both the lawmakers and their aides were facing difficulties as the economic downturn bites harder by the day. According to him, the matter has been made worse because of the drastic slash in the salaries of the aides.

Since the crash in the price of crude oil and the resultant economic crisis confronting the country, it has been tales of woes. “ It is true.

We have not been paid for the month of June. Legislative aides have not been paid; only the staff of the National Assembly have been paid. But that notwithstanding, we are still going to resume work on Tuesday. “For some of us , we are trying to survive but honestly many of our colleagues are not finding it funny.

They cannot cope, especially those lawmakers that lost their election and didn’t come back. Some of them struggled for the job of legislative aides just to remain in the system but they are regretting now. “There is no free money again. Some don ’t even come to Abuja again.

People that were expecting to collect like N 1 million, they cut it to N 300,000 or N 500,000 . It is a very big problem. But anyway, I believe that one day they will pay it. I don’t drink and I don’t smoke so I am able to cope with the situation,” he said.

A Special Assistant to one of the principal officers told New Telegraph that the last time he earned salary was in January. “Some of us that are SAs have not been paid since February. The SAs are attached to the principal officers. That is why I rarely go to Abuja these days, ” the source told New Telegraph.

https://newtelegraphonline.com/senators-reps-lament-cash-crunch-nassembly/

1 Like

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by SeverusSnape(m): 12:05pm On Jul 11, 2016
See legislaTHIEVES.
After all the millions they collect monthly, they are still talking rubbish and lamenting.

Millions of Nigerians are languishing in hunger and penury especially since the inception of this administration, Have they not heard their lamentations??

27 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by hardywaltz(m): 12:16pm On Jul 11, 2016
Saraki will soon be thrown under the bus so that a smooth oilily relationship can exist between the Executhieves and Legislathieves

6 Likes

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by ozoigbondu: 12:30pm On Jul 11, 2016
I demand for the scrapping of either the senate or house of rep.They are being paid for doing nothing

27 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by TANTUMERGO007(m): 12:39pm On Jul 11, 2016
cool this change is sweet grin

13 Likes 1 Share

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by wunmi590(m): 1:17pm On Jul 11, 2016
.
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Pyno30: 1:18pm On Jul 11, 2016
EDUCATED CRIMINALS SUCKING NIGERIA DRY.

6 Likes

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by VocalWalls: 1:18pm On Jul 11, 2016
Hmmm...

This one s water pass Garri... It's not even about a clampdown on corrupt practices... It's just about bad economic policies and poor decisions.
Intelligence has flown off the brains of our leaders like
Some Indoor Plants With Amazing Home Scents

[img]http://media./media/l0K3Yhp0WtRPXNe9i/giphy.gif[/img]

14 Likes 1 Share

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Sunnycliff(m): 1:18pm On Jul 11, 2016
Stories like this gladdens the hearts of NDA!

But this 'Sinators' are just very selfish, how many times have they considered their bogus earnings in the light of the more productive civil servants?

They are talking rubbish!

2 Likes

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Ekejoestar(m): 1:18pm On Jul 11, 2016
In a nation where a lawmaker earns more than the POTUS annually, yet some misguided element who only sits down all day and talk only talk-talk will come and be ranting about a month delay in disbursment of salary, what about numerous civil servant scattered across the nation that are being owed more than five months salaries? and many pensioners yet to recieve pension for once? who will speak for them.
I recommend a total overhaul of the existing salary structure of the executhieves and the legislooters because they are the ones' milking our treasury dry......go to their respective consistuency and you will be amazed by the level of poverty in those places yet the representathieves do not care about them....

#TheNAareSelfish...

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Nobody: 1:19pm On Jul 11, 2016
[b]I am tempted not to believe this news for some reasons:

1. A critical analysis of this news portrays the fact that those who are complaining are from a particular state (Ebonyi) and one party (PDP).

2.I don't think the national legislators are that patriotic, that their legislative aides were not paid for February, March and April and we didn't hear alarms from the national assembly. I trust the Twitter Senator, it would have trended. Dino Melaye would have made headlines.

3. If the legislators were truly owed, I don't think they would honour the President's dinner some months ago.

4. Same Senators who are complaining of cash crunch could afford 35.5 million naira SUVs for the committee heads. Multiply that amount with the number of committees.

5. If corp members like me could be paid on 26th of April, May, June, how much more legislators?

Conclusively, those legislators said the cash crunch hasn't affected their families but affected aides. Don't tell me Sam Egwu, a former governor and minister cannot pay his aides from his personal pockets pending the time such allowance would be disbursed. SELFISH PEOPLE.
[/b]

8 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Sunnycliff(m): 1:19pm On Jul 11, 2016
hardywaltz:
Saraki will soon be thrown under the bus so that a smooth oilily relationship can exist between the Executhieves and Legislathieves

Is Saraki your nightmare? Or Bubu that lacks sense and diplomacy to handle the NDA

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Nobody: 1:20pm On Jul 11, 2016
ok
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Spells(m): 1:20pm On Jul 11, 2016
More blah blah blah... But they won't lament if da poor civil servants haven't bin paid for "20 years
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Landloard01(m): 1:20pm On Jul 11, 2016
good for them
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by truthspeaks: 1:20pm On Jul 11, 2016
U mean those parasites in National Assembly r bn affected? It's a lie. Only bn owed June salaries n they r complaining. They shld ask hw civil service workers bn owed 5 to 9months r coping. Shameless legislaTHIEVES. Buhari sef

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by zeberebe: 1:21pm On Jul 11, 2016
I care less undecided
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Nobody: 1:21pm On Jul 11, 2016
Yam choppers and yam barn grin grin grin grin grin grin grin grin

2 Likes

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by olasclef(m): 1:22pm On Jul 11, 2016
Rubbish. Who cares.
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Nobody: 1:23pm On Jul 11, 2016
Sunnycliff:


But this 'Sinators' are just very SELFISH, how many times have they considered their BOGUS earnings in the light of the MORE PRODUCTIVE civil servants?

They are talking rubbish!
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by MrImole: 1:25pm On Jul 11, 2016
Thieves
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by manuel80(m): 1:25pm On Jul 11, 2016
hehehe
laughing at them fools/legislathieves

1 Like

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Sunnycliff(m): 1:27pm On Jul 11, 2016
DDeliverer:
I no say na issues like you dey sabi vex you wella

1 Like

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Qmerit(m): 1:27pm On Jul 11, 2016
I like that.
more of such cry.
this NA job should be part-time job, but who will support such bill.?
These ones. No need for me to write the bill cause they won't read it on the floor of the NA.
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by NaLaugh: 1:27pm On Jul 11, 2016
No one cares.

Nigerian senators deserve the worst of any possible economic situation possible.

Probably the most insensitive humans on the planet. Highest paid senators on the planet, in a country like Nigeria, where a majority of citizens can barely feed themselves.

1 Like

Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by ajepako(f): 1:28pm On Jul 11, 2016
O npe!
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by vanvick247(m): 1:30pm On Jul 11, 2016
Who dis news epp na? As if they are the only ones affected. Mtcheeew
Re: Senators, Reps Lament Cash Crunch In N’assembly by Nobody: 1:37pm On Jul 11, 2016
Sunnycliff:


I no say na issues like you dey sabi vex you wella

I dey tell you...those criminals no get conscience..Na only their own them sabi...

I need to advise Buhari...Whether make I send letter to Aso rock , I no know.. He go even see the letter sef??

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