Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday launched an agitation for a N7m increase in their quarterly allowances, barely 24 hours after resuming from a two-month recess.

Each member of the House currently enjoys N27m per quarter as allowances but the lawmakers want the sum jerked up to N35m, The PUNCH learnt.

Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, reportedly had a hectic time calming frayed nerves at an executive session on Wednesday.

Some of the lawmakers, in seeking an increased allowance, at the closed door session, reportedly raised questions of financial impropriety against the leadership of the House.

They reportedly questioned how the “N5m” budgeted for each member’s medical expenses and insurance was utilised by the House.

One of the lawmakers at the session told our correspondent that “transparency and accountability were the main issues discussed at the executive session.”

“There are 360 members; we have funds budgeted for medical allowances and insurance.

“If you put aside some funds for these sub-heads, which is about N5m, we have to know how this money is being utilised.”

Tambuwal was said to have used the session, which lasted for over two hours, to explain to his aggrieved colleagues that the leadership was transparent in the running of House accounts.

A source said he explained that the delay in the payment of pending allowances was caused by paucity of funds.

The speaker reportedly tried to convince members that there was the need to prudently manage resources.

He reportedly called for the account books of the House in a bid to convince his colleagues that no lawmaker’s funds had been taken for any unofficial purposes.

The PUNCH had stumbled on a text message circulated to members before Wednesday’s session by some lawmakers, who said they were launching a project to clean up the House.

The text message had invited members to a meeting originally scheduled for the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Thursday (today).

Investigations revealed that the House quickly went into an executive session on Wednesday in a bid to stop the meeting and use the opportunity to clear the air on any misgivings.

The text reads, “This is inviting all first term members of the House of Representatives to an urgent meeting and launching of the Project “OPERATION CLEAN.” Date; 20th Sept. 2012. Venue-Transcorp Hilton, Abuja Time: 11am prompt.”

However, following what a member described as “the elaborate explanations by the Speaker”, the conveners of the meeting were reportedly “satisfied and saw reason to call off the meeting.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, however denied that issues of increased allowances and use of the House funds were mentioned at the executive session.

“It is not true; there was nothing like that as far as I am concerned,” Mohammed said in a reply to The PUNCH enquiries.

He said the executive session deliberated on a meeting held between President Goodluck Jonathan, the President of the Senate, David Mark, and Tambuwal on Tuesday night.

Mohammed claimed that the Speaker used the session to inform members on what transpired between the three leaders at the Aso Rock Villa.

According to him, Jonathan raised the opposition by the National Assembly to the planned introduction of the N5000 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria with Mark and Tambuwal.

“He (Speaker) told members that the President was under the impression that the National Assembly queried the Executive on the policy”, Mohammed stated.

But, he said Mark and Tambuwal took time to explain to Jonathan why the proposed N5000 note was not necessary.

He added that the two leaders of the National Assembly told Jonathan that they had a constitutional responsibility to protect the wishes of Nigerians, whose suffering would be worsened by the N5000 denomination.

However, a separate source, who attended the meeting, confided in The PUNCH that Jonathan hinted that he would direct the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, to stop the proposed policy, having heard the position of the National Assembly.

“It is a good thing that Mr. President has promised to ask Sanusi to stop this N5000 issue.

“He gave Mark and Tambuwal the assurance”, the source disclosed.

The Chairman of a major committee of the House, also said, “take it from me; Mr. President has said he would stop the policy.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/reps-want-n7m-pay-hike/

N7m? Oh would that be enough? That's just too paltry and meagre...They may as well demand free access to Apple's stash of cash. Buncha mofos.
Mtscheeeew

They are in their last days

Me thinks that they blew their money during their summer hols abroad and now they need to replenish their sorry pockets. Please where is their brother FLawan and our money that he stole?

Here are the elites without lights, plundering the nation instead of building the nation. Hope they know that history will judge them.

A bounty has been placed on the head of each member. N1 million to be precise. Call helpline on 08032351344 for each member killed. Pls let‘s come together in the operation kill our $enator$/dishonourables. @ occupy hou$e of a$$embly(theives).

Before commenting my reserve, i'll love to know if the so called 'progressive' honourables from the opposition parties also took part in the deliberations...

But going by the staggering amount of money been bandied around, there seem to be much in this country for our collective needs but not our collective greed...

i report. Senator hope uzodinma has been shot dead around wedral road owerri. @occupy house of a$$embly. NB- The killer(nlder) should call the hotline above to claim his or her reward. Let‘s make money with the death of these bastar.ds. * on my way to the next senator‘s home with petn sewed in my perry cole boxers* adios nairaland, till we meet to part no more.

okosodo: They are in their last days

A breath of fresh pay.

Where the Fcck is Jerry Rawlings when you need Him?!

I think Nigerians will not have anything to lose if they rebel against our leader.This people are demonic.with the level of poverty in this land.That is the least you will expect from a sane mind

Lawmakers indeed

cheddarking: Where the Fcck is Jerry Rawlings when you need Him?!

He dosn't do 'Consultancy'


Find Ūя̲̅ own naija made 'jerry rawlings'

Group of unpatriotic greedy fools

They needed more money,as if money is there oxygen,fools them. I don't blame them,I blame our electoral system,whereby all we do is "selection",instead of Election.I guess our leader are there to serve the public,in Nigeria,reverse is the case

scrap both houses. These are people are nothing but bunch of legislathieves and Representathieves

na God go judge all of una *smh* :@

I am a guy in my early twenties,i have dis bump at the back of my head,i feel ashamed all d time and i have used different acne cream but it doesnt seems to work,recently sum1 referred me to go to one bumps treatment centre,wen i get dere,d doctor told me d bumps is now big dat i will av to pay 35000naira,i was shocked cos i dont av any money & my parents are poor.I've tried seekin for a job but i couldnt secure any.The doctor told me if i didnt treat it on time d bump will become hard to treat again and i dont want that to happen.Pls guys i really need your assistance.No amount is too small,just wanna get dis thing off d back of my head.My number 08099743987

seyman2012: I am a guy in my early twenties,i have dis bump at the back of my head,i feel ashamed all d time and i have used different acne cream but it doesnt seems to work,recently sum1 referred me to go to one bumps treatment centre,wen i get dere,d doctor told me d bumps is now big dat i will av to pay 35000naira,i was shocked cos i dont av any money & my parents are poor.I've tried seekin for a job but i couldnt secure any.The doctor told me if i didnt treat it on time d bump will become hard to treat again and i dont want that to happen.Pls guys i really need your assistance.No amount is too small,just wanna get dis thing off d back of my head.My number 08099743987

wish i could help but i aint working

Thieves!!!!!!!!! Na God go punish una

I dont know alot but the little i know makes me to understand that these people are thieves. If nigerians are willing we can take a stand now. I dont believe that anybody has to die for us to be free but freedom is not cheap, it is gotten by courage, sweat and tears. If you are willing we can! This is not a cyber space rhetoric it should be the reality we live. Lets go out and make the change. I am willing, are you?

Let's protest for this and jail this criminals!!!

Hmmmmmm.... Speechless

N35M/3 i.e 3months per quarter=N11.67M Per month.for SSCE cert. holders
While some pple with M.Sc certificates are walking under the sun in the streets of Lagos begging for a job of N70k per month. God have mercy!

If i had Liver, i would have worn grenade as underpants to visit the National Assembly when they are all in session but i dont have an iota of liver so 'i'll rather kill myself than commit suicide'! Greedy diseased Reps!!!

Greedy Thieves!

Ariyke: na God go judge all of una *smh*

No be only GOD, u sef fit join. "...Declare that thou mayest be justified." it is what u allow that u see. We have folded our hands for too long and done nothing. No shake head again oo, carry placard and occupy.

ekyal: If i had Liver, i would have worn grenade as underpants to visit the National Assembly when they are all in session but i dont have an iota of liver so 'i'll rather kill myself than commit suicide'! Greedy diseased Reps!!!

haba aunty, u get two nah

This would be paid for by the hike in fuel price.
Which they call subsidy removal.

Join me to weep for Nigeria.