Sallah: Group Berates N3m Bonus For Each Rep

  [b]Sallah: Group berates N3m bonus for each Rep[/b]
By Bisi Olaniyi, Ado-Ekiti
Published: Tuesday, 30 Sep 2008

The Ekiti Democratic Coalition Alliance has berated the members of the House of Representatives over the N3m each of them allegedly collected as Eid-el-fitri bonus.

EDCA, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Monday by its National Coordinator, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, said the largesse was another ploy to impoverish the masses.

The group asked the lawmakers to return the Sallah bonus to the treasury or face recall from their various constituencies.

It, however, commended the senators for not collecting the money. The group advised the anti-corruption commissions to immediately probe the payment.

EDCA also described the bonus as an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians, after the lawmakers had earlier “awarded themselves jumbo wardrobe, car, constituency, stationery and other allowances on assumption of office.”

It noted that it was unfortunate that each senator had been taking home not less than N20m monthly, with each member of the House, collecting N12m every month.

EDCA said, “These people in the House of Representatives are rich enough to take from their legitimate income to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri or any other religious festival.

“Religion is a personal matter. State fund that is supposed to be used to cater for the welfare of the masses, should not be wasted on the celebration of a religious festival.”