Senate Leader wants removal of privileges of principal officers
Senate Leader Mohammed Ndume on Tuesday called for removal of privileges attached to principal officers at the National Assembly.
Ndume made the call when he spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri.
He said the removal of the privileges would eliminate the leadership struggle among legislators.
“I am championing the issue of downgrading the position of presiding officers at the National Assembly especially the Senate President so as to truly be the first among equals.
“What causes leadership crisis is because of the excessive privileges attached to the offices’’, he said.
Ndume added that once the privileges attached to positions were removed, fighting among legislators for the offices would be greatly reduced.
“If the leadership is truly one among the equals, you will find it difficult even to get somebody fighting to be the senate president.
“Somehow, you see a senator out of the 109 others suddenly acquiring enormous privileges just because of being elected as senate president’’, he said.
He reiterated that all the privileges should be removed and the senate president should just preside at the Assembly: no more, no less.
“He should not be given more previleges than his colleagues.”
Ndume, however, said that the senate president can be entitled to some allowances.
“Although he might be given some responsibility allowances, the Senate president or presiding officers should not be given excessive privileges like having escorts, long convoys of government vehicles, dozens of armed security men, among others,.
“If you say that he is number three man in the country, so we must protect him. What about millions of Nigerians who do not even have food to eat?’’
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4 Comments
The Honourable Senate Leader Mohammed Ndume is now talking. One of the dividends of democracy is the ability of the
citizens to hold their elected representative accountable for their actions, pronouncements, what they have done and what they have failed to do while in office. For this reason, the remark by the Senate Leader regarding the extravagant
privileges attached to the principal officers of the NASS should be welcome by all who wish the survival of this nation. Nigerians can accommodate our leaders being paid salaries and enhancements commensurate with their office; But extravagant use of our resources to make them live like kings while poverty and hunger is fiercely staring in the eyes of millions of us is nothing but unconscionable. As the Senate leader rightly said, bogus privilege breeds envy and
disaffection. The consequence is the sort of shameful charade being witnessed in NASS nearly four months after the election. I am sure the Senate Leader knows one or two things about ‘Private Member’s Bill’. The lawmaker is better placed to debate these issues to avoid being accused of taking an arbitrary decision. We now expect the Senate leader to put his money where his mouth is by as a matter of urgency tabling a Bill and have all these over-flowing privileges
trimmed down. As it stands now, the Senate President is entitled to an enhanced remuneration and allowances different from other lawmakers. How can one explain having escorts, long convoys of government vehicles, dozens of armed security
men, among others? Let’s start with Senate President and then sadly remind ourselves of the other outrageous lawmakers’ allowances, including their wardrobe allowances.
The call by the Senate Leader, Senator Ndume for the NASS to adopt an equal member Senate Chamber as a way to solve the power struggle at the NASS is very timely, coming at the beginning of this APC regime, when a group of Senators are already against a 30% proposed cut in remuneration, as if their sole aim to seek election is to enrich themselves. Nigerians will for ever be grateful to Senator Ndume if he can get a People’s Bill in favour of his proposal. And perhaps we’ll all be saved from these vampires.
If supported across board, we may even develop to a stage of entrenching part-time legislators. Truth be told, our legislators remuneration like in developed climes should be based on their contribution to national discuss in the House and productivity; right now to my mind, Nigerian legislators are not worth being paid more than a Perm Sec( level 16/17 salary scale) wages and perhaps with a few pecks like Car Loans, Mileage Allowances and Housing Allowances.
Afterall, they don’t see anything wrong in a N18,000.00 per month( £50.00) minimum wage for an ordinary Nigerian. What a shame!
Is he writing this because he did not get the position or is he been genuine?
he is correct. the senate president should not weld so much power. it is time this law makers focus on nigeria and reduce the cost of governing.
We will review and take appropriate action.