Tukur asks lawmakers to refund ‘illegal’ allowances

By Festus Owete

December 6, 2010 01:59AM

A former chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Hamma Tukur has asked members of the National Assembly to return all allowances and salaries they collected illegally from the nation’s treasury.

Mr Tukur who said this during a radio programme (Raypower) at the weekend, noted that the 469 Senators and members of the House of Representatives are being unfair to the country if the reports are true that they collect allowances above what the commission stipulated.

According to him, the commission recommended and approved a total package of N954,096.60 monthly for a senator and N794,084.95 for each member of the House of Representatives. He said the figures include the basic salaries and allowances.

He said that a Senator’s basic salary is N168,866.66 while that of each representative is about N165,434.33, stressing that any amount they receive above this is illegal.

“If it is one single naira above this figure, it is not known in law. Therefore, the lawmakers should refund whatever extra they collected,” Mr Tukur, who left office last year, said.

Speaking further, the former commission boss explained that the salaries and allowances were worked out based on what a director in the ministry earns.

The actual salaries and allowances of the federal lawmakers have been a subject of controversy for years. There were reports that each member of the House now takes home about N42 million quarterly while a senator earns N80 million.

Last week, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was summoned by the Senate and the House of Representatives to substantiate his claim, during a lecture at the Iginedion University, that about 25 percent of the overhead of the national budget was being used to maintain the legislators.

When he appeared before the lawmakers, Mr Sanusi insisted that the figure was correct since he obtained it from the office of the Director General of the Budget Office.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5650297-146/tukur_asks_lawmakers_to_refund_illegal.csp

When this money is released to the federal legislooters is it done electronically or in ghana-must-go-bags? Just how are they able to get more than they should? Who is releasing the extra amount? per month N954,096 is about $6360 while N794,084 is about $5293. Based on this quarterly should be N2,862,000 = $19080 and N2,381,850 = $15879.

So senators are walking away with extra N77 million while reps walking away with extra N40 million. Someone please enlighten me on how these people are able to get ahold of this extra money? Is the ministry of Finance just giving it to them or what. How come Aganga can't control how much is going over to them to ensure they not getting extra.

Are lawmakers pay not done by people or do lawmakers practice 'serve urself system' in their varrious banks?

Are lawmakers pay not done by people or do lawmakers practice 'serve urself system' in their varrious banks?

The way people are talking as if they go to the vote and collect the money!

These 'allowances' were paid to them!

But THEY decided what they ought to be paid as allowance. They are legislators and essentially make this sort of decision. So, whoever PAID it to them had authorization from the Legislators to do so.

Kobojunkie:

But THEY decided what they ought to be paid as allowance. They are legislators and essentially make this sort of decision. So, whoever PAID it to them had authorization from the Legislators to do so.

is it the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission that sets salaries and allowances? Isn't there supposed to be some check and balance to prevent the legislooters from giving themselves allowance of any size they want? There must be. Since the guy in the article has said what legislooter should be getting in salary and allowance, all the extra money they getting is illegal then. So who is releasing the extra money to them?

That Tukur guy must have been high on something when he was on air or maybe the occasion got to him or just maybe, he sensed what the presenters wanted to air to Nigerians and he played along.

The NASS has made changes to the RMFAC regulations thereby effectively amending their own salaries and the lame duck Presidency of Yar'adua and GEJ didn't do anything about it. In essence, lawmakers are getting was has been proposed by them and acquiesced to by the Executives.
For an avoidance of doubt, it is the executives that releases these monies to them. And it is the executives are ensures that this monies are paid to them monthly/quarterly.

Akainzo:

That Tukur guy must have been high on something when he was on air or maybe the occasion got to him or just maybe, he sensed what the presenters wanted to air to Nigerians and he played along.

The NASS has made changes to the RMFAC regulations thereby effectively amending their own salaries and the lame duck Presidency of Yar'adua and GEJ didn't do anything about it. In essence, lawmakers are getting was has been proposed by them and acquiesced to by the Executives.
For an avoidance of doubt, it is the executives that releases these monies to them. And it is the executives are ensures that this monies are paid to them monthly/quarterly.

So this means that these super high salaries won't be coming down unless the thieves themselves vote to lower it? We know that aint happening. So just how can these salaries be reduced? What was Finance Minister Aganga talking about when he was talking about how the executive was working on cutting down cost of NASS?

trueword:

is it the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission that sets salaries and allowances? Isn't there supposed to be some check and balance to prevent the legislooters from giving themselves allowance of any size they want? There must be. Since the guy in the article has said what legislooter should be getting in salary and allowance, all the extra money they getting is illegal then. So who is releasing the extra money to them?

NASS essentially votes itself a raise when it chooses to. We were all here only a couple of months ago when the last vote took place.

Kobojunkie:

NASS essentially votes itself a raise when it chooses to. We were all here only a couple of months ago when the last vote took place.

Does this 'vote' not pass through a sort of approval from the executive? Or do they just go ahead and implement without consultations?

Kobojunkie:

NASS essentially votes itself a raise when it chooses to. We were all here only a couple of months ago when the last vote took place.

Yeah i remember the vote. But what happened to the checks and balances ? What kind of constitution allows NASS members to raise their own salary as much as they want and whenever they want? chei, dis country sef

Kobojunkie:

NASS essentially votes itself a raise when it chooses to. We were all here only a couple of months ago when the last vote took place.

Ujujoan:

Does this 'vote' not pass through a sort of approval from the executive? Or do they just go ahead and implement without consultations? 

All this votes were to be checked by the Executives, who actually control the purse strings. But seeing as the President is always afraid and is lame duck, they don't get challenged. It's more of a rub-my-back-I-rub-your-back kind of thing. When last has the legislature investigated any wrong spend by the executives.

It is the abdication of duty by the Executives that is making the legislators get away with it. And when it now comes to an extra N1,000.00 increase for workers, the President has to consult the Council of State! 

Ovularia:

Tukur asks lawmakers to refund ‘illegal’ allowances

By Festus Owete

December 6, 2010 01:59AM

A former chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Hamma Tukur has asked members of the National Assembly to return all allowances and salaries they collected illegally from the nation’s treasury.

Mr Tukur who said this during a radio programme (Raypower) at the weekend, noted that the 469 Senators and members of the House of Representatives are being unfair to the country if the reports are true that they collect allowances above what the commission stipulated.

According to him, the commission recommended and approved a total package of N954,096.60 monthly for a senator and N794,084.95 for each member of the House of Representatives. He said the figures include the basic salaries and allowances.

He said that a Senator’s basic salary is N168,866.66 while that of each representative is about N165,434.33, stressing that any amount they receive above this is illegal.


“If it is one single naira above this figure, it is not known in law. Therefore, the lawmakers should refund whatever extra they collected,” Mr Tukur, who left office last year, said.

Speaking further, the former commission boss explained that the salaries and allowances were worked out based on what a director in the ministry earns.

The actual salaries and allowances of the federal lawmakers have been a subject of controversy for years. There were reports that each member of the House now takes home about N42 million quarterly while a senator earns N80 million.

Last week, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was summoned by the Senate and the House of Representatives to substantiate his claim, during a lecture at the Iginedion University, that about 25 percent of the overhead of the national budget was being used to maintain the legislators.

When he appeared before the lawmakers, Mr Sanusi insisted that the figure was correct since he obtained it from the office of the Director General of the Budget Office.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5650297-146/tukur_asks_lawmakers_to_refund_illegal.csp

These guys are the reason Nigeria is in this sorry state.for almost four years,they were able to pass less than 20 bills most on appropriation.they are as corrupt as the executive.useless people.

Akainzo:

All this votes were to be checked by the Executives, who actually control the purse strings. But seeing as the President is always afraid and is lame duck, they don't get challenged. It's more of a rub-my-back-I-rub-your-back kind of thing. When last has the legislature investigated any wrong spend by the executives.

It is the abdication of duty by the Executives that is making the legislators get away with it. And when it now comes to an extra N1,000.00 increase for workers, the President has to consult the Council of State!

Well, which ever way we want to look at it, the truth is that we let them get away with it. IT became legal when the President approves it and the Accountant General's office implements it!

Shows how much of a failed stata Nigeria is! So sad . ,

Akainzo:

All this votes were to be checked by the Executives, who actually control the purse strings. But seeing as the President is always afraid and is lame duck, they don't get challenged. It's more of a rub-my-back-I-rub-your-back kind of thing. When last has the legislature investigated any wrong spend by the executives.

It is the abdication of duty by the Executives that is making the legislators get away with it. And when it now comes to an extra N1,000.00 increase for workers, the President has to consult the Council of State! 

The fault is in the useless constitution we inherited from the army. It has nothing to do with the President or the Executive.
How can the President stop those who can sack him, but who he can't sack? The only way is to go the masses and explain matters to them. We are the only checks and balances against the NASS. Nothing will happen until we take to the streets and threaten revolution.

Now it has been made known to us through a coordinated move by the finance bosses. What are we ready to do about it?

Akainzo:

[s]All this votes were to be checked by the Executives, who actually control the purse strings.[/s] But seeing as the President is always afraid and is lame duck, they don't get challenged. It's more of a rub-my-back-I-rub-your-back kind of thing. When last has the legislature investigated any wrong spend by the executives.

It is the abdication of duty by the Executives that is making the legislators get away with it. And when it now comes to an extra N1,000.00 increase for workers, the President has to consult the Council of State! 

Executive checking legislature ? It happens the other way as they ought to be a check on executive absolutism.All these monies are infused in their budgets so there is little jonathan can do.
the only thing is to cut their budget aggressively in the coming budget .

~Bluetooth:

Executive checking legislature ? It happens the other way as they ought to be a check on executive absolutism.All these monies are infused in their budgets so there is little jonathan can do.
the only thing is to cut their budget aggressively in the coming budget .

How can you in one breadth say there is nothing Jonathan can do, and then say that the only thing to do is cut their budget in the coming budget. Who is going to cut the budget, is it not the same Jonathan?

For avoidance of doubt, the Presidency is the one with the sole authority to check the Legislatures by being above board and thus able to command the respect and followership of the populace. However, the Presidency loses the moral authority to check the legislature when it comes to salaries, since for the legislators to get what they want, they simply amend the portions to affect the presidency and voila, case closed, increment approved.
The Presidency has been benefiting from all the illegal increases as well.

Yes, the Checks & Balances is not a one-way affair. The executives do check the legislature by being the one that control the purse strings while they need the legislatures to approve the expenditures even including that one to be spent by the legislature. So the Execs checks the legislatures, and the legislature checks the Execs and the judiciary is there to adjudicate between them.

Akainzo:

How can you in one breadth say there is nothing Jonathan can do, and then say that the only thing to do is cut their budget in the coming budget. Who is going to cut the budget, is it not the same Jonathan?

For avoidance of doubt,[b] the Presidency is the one with the sole authority to check the Legislatures by being above board[/8] and thus able to command the respect and followership of the populace. However, the Presidency loses the moral authority to check the legislature when it comes to salaries, since for the legislators to get what they want, they simply amend the portions to affect the presidency and voila, case closed, increment approved.
The Presidency has been benefiting from all the illegal increases as well.

Yes, the Checks & Balances is not a one-way affair. The executives do check the legislature by being the one that control the purse strings while they need the legislatures to approve the expenditures even including that one to be spent by the legislature. So the Execs checks the legislatures, and the legislature checks the Execs and the judiciary is there to adjudicate between them.

O boy,you need to learn more naija politics.The executive,legislative and judiciary are different arms of government and each is independent of the other.so jonathan interference will not work.
The only solution like I said is to cut their budget.what you are suggesting works only in anarchy state.

trueword:

Yeah i remember the vote. But what happened to the checks and balances ? What kind of constitution allows NASS members to raise their own salary as much as they want and whenever they want? chei, dis country sef

Well, the ones supposed to be doing the checking and balancing also got a raise. So I don't know what to say to you. lol

based on the foregoing, i will tell my boss to raise my allowance from N250 (two hundred and fifty naira) to N250,000(two hundred and fifty thousand monthly.
If asked for reason, i will refer him to the NASS. No be so?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Why i ask if nigeria's lawmakers are paid by a body or they practice 'serve urself' in their varrious banks is that if they are paid by a body, the body shld have raise this alarm b4 now or any

toba:

based on the foregoing, i will tell my boss to raise my allowance from N250 (two hundred and fifty naira) to N250,000(two hundred and fifty thousand monthly.
If asked for reason, i will refer him to the NASS. No be so?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

That won't work because that is not how it is. The Government is made up of 3 arms, and the president is not really the BOSS of NASS.

Please let my friend gets elected to the Senate and his cousin to House or Reps. (rubs hands with glee).

we ar all screaming about their allowances and hav forgotten that the allowances are just a tip of the iceberg. the bogus contracts nko?

purchase of cars for legislators at such an exorbitant rate that make even auto makers pant for breath!

purchase of computers at almost the price of an airplane!

purchase of furniture at a price that can build an estate!

approval of 6billion for sim card that the telcos hav almost finished registering at their own expense!

which one we go talk about self? legislooters indeed! the truth is, we just cant keep tolerating this rub-bish!

It is not only the President that should check the NASS, but all of us. Because we are irresponsible, indifferent, cowards, and ignorant, we allow some bunch of money gluttons to milk us dry. The constitution empowers us to recall this people if they go against our will but have we exercised those rights? We are probably waiting for Holy Ghost fire to help us. Although I am not a supporter of JEG, but I believe that we can do more to redeem the situation than Jonathan. I do not even think they should be earning up to N700,000 monthly, after all how many of them were earning more than N200,000 monthly before they entered the NASS.

The executives cant check them, it is we Nigerians and the Labour who can check their looting.

greateros:

we ar all screaming about their allowances and hav forgotten that the allowances are just a tip of the iceberg. the bogus contracts nko?

purchase of cars for legislators at such an exorbitant rate that make even auto makers pant for breath!

purchase of computers at almost the price of an airplane!

purchase of furniture at a price that can build an estate!

approval of 6billion for sim card that the telcos hav almost finished registering at their own expense!

which one we go talk about self? legislooters indeed! the truth is, we just cant keep tolerating this rub-bish!

Word!

Omisore said Aganga should quote the right figures of the national assemble expenses on the pages of newspapers for the whole world to see and we are yet to see any publication regarding that. with all his fuming, he didn't not instruct the minister of finance to also be sincere to publicize their monthly and quarterly take home. They should remember that their greediness will soon hook their throat.

Injudicious spending

Tukur is a joker.

Did the lawmakers employ themselves?

Who approved their salaries?