The Senate on Monday described the allegations by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, that the National Assembly consumes 25 per cent of the national budget, as baseless and unfounded.



Sanusi had alleged that 25 per cent of the recurrent overhead of the budget of the Federal Government was used to fund the National Assembly.



Spokesman for the Senate, Senator Ayogu Eze, said that the 25 per cent figure as supposed by Sanusi was misleading, as the National Assembly only got 3.5 per cent of the 2010 budget.



He said, “I want to state categorically that that is not true. The total budget figure for the year 2010 as amended is N4,427,184, 596,534. That is the entire budget of the federation. And the entire budget of the National Assembly, including the Senate, the House of Reps, the National Assembly Service Commission, our legislative aides and all the entire current and capital expenditure for the year 2010 is N158,916,167,627.



“If you reduce this to mathematics, what we have is N4.427tn for the entire federation and what the National Assembly get is N0.158tn which is 3.5 per cent of the entire budget of the federation. So where did the mathematics of the 25 per cent come from?



“I think that this is not only mischievous, it is calculated to tarnish the image and reputation of the National Assembly, and it is part of the orchestrated assault, verbal and sometime physical, against the National Assembly by some misinformed and some people who do not wish the National Assembly well, otherwise I do not see how that kind of figure can be bandied about by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, if it is true that he said so.”



Eze noted that the reports credited to Sanusi portrayed the legislature as having crippled the economy, adding that the statement was embarrassing and directed towards dragging down the institution of the legislature.



He said, “This is pure fallacy. I do not know where this fabrication is coming from and he did say that the National Assembly has taken 25 per cent of all the overhead cost. And I want to state that the total overhead cost of the federation is N2,137,574,700,030.



“So even if you look at the whole budget of the National Assembly as a percentage of the entire recurrent of the federation, you cannot get 25 per cent no matter how you push this figure.



“My instinct is to believe that the governor of the Central Bank was misquoted and if he is not misquoted, we expect that he should retract this very fallacious and very damaging report with an apology because he does not have a foundation in facts.”






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011302415615

But our dear Ayogu Eze did not include hardship, constituency, furniture, wardrobe, newspaper, etc allowances. And he had the cheek to say N950,000. When workers still have to paralyse the nation to get N18,000 a month!!

This is turning out to be interesting. I expect a rejoinder to this from Sanusi within 24 hours. Whichever way this goes, somebody's nose would be bloodied.

These buffoons will not allaow the matter to rest eh? SLS said 25% of recurrent expenditure and they are saying 3.5% of total budget. What's d difference. Now wey their yansh dey outside, they are hiding behind a finger, I tire o.

The N Assembly buffoon should be sacked for not knowing the meaning of recurrent overheads.

Ayogu Eze once again displayed ignorance of basic understanding of speech and if I was his son, I would be ashamed of him.

Sanusi said 25% of overheads which is under recurrent expenditure (salaries and office running expenses).

The total budget consists of capital and recurrent expenditure. Our recurrent expenditure makes up well over half of our budget which shows that we pay more in salaries and running government than we spend on building roads, schools and other infrastructure that will lead to economic development.

And spending 3.5% of a country's national budget  on 450 people is callous, laughable and idiotic.

At 150 millon, 450 people is just 0.0003% of the population. Can't we see now that these guys are just bleeding the nation recklessly?