Outrage as Buhari budgets N128 billion for National Assembly

The 2021 budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari has been condemned by many Nigerians after over N128 billion was earmarked for the National Assembly.

Buhari on Thursday presented a record 13 trillion-naira budget for 2021 to members of the National Assembly.

The spending plan is about 21% rise from the revised 2020 spending plan of 10.8 trillion naira. The budget assumes crude production of 1.86 million barrels a day and an oil price of $40 per barrel with the exchange rate at N379 to $1, Buhari said.

Nigeria’s National Assembly – House of Representatives and the Senate got N128 billion in the 2021 budget in the plan, while N380.21b was proposed for the health ministry. N3.8 trillion has been allocated to all ministries departments and agencies for the execution of capital projects.

Buhari said revenue generation to fund annual budgets has been the greatest challenge being faced by his administration.

The president said supervising ministers had been ordered to ensure strict monitoring of revenue-generating agencies under their supervision.

While Buhari emphasized that “revenue generation remains our biggest challenge” many Nigerians wondered why N128 billion was budgeted to run the National Assembly.

Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project (SERAP) described the National Assembly budget as a ‘travesty’.

SERAP urged Senate president Ahmad Lawan and House of Representatives speaker Femi Gbajabiamila “to urgently push to cut the N128bn budget for the National Assembly in 2021.”

“The National Assembly ought to prioritise spending for education and healthcare. We’ll see in court if our lawmakers approve this money for themselves,” SERAP tweeted.

Nigerians on Twitter have also criticised the budget for the National Assembly.

@MBuhari stop wasting our money, the money, cut down national assembly budget we can't afford it

— Eleh ossai (@Elehchineye) October 8, 2020

When we said we need control of the National Assembly at the first term our Darling President, the President was like I am for anybody and for nobody. But now this is the advantage of having progressives at the helms of affairs at the National Assembly. https://t.co/LR8o29mxIe

— L.J. Opeyemi (arc) (@LJOpeyemi2) October 8, 2020

A budget that National Assembly get more allocation than other sector, Nigeria legislature is a failure

— Eleh ossai (@Elehchineye) October 8, 2020

National Assembly gets N128bn for 2021.

Money-sharing Assembly.

— Ayemojubar 👠 (@ayemojubar) October 8, 2020

N128bn budget for National Assembly is a travesty.
N128bn budget for National Assembly is a travesty.
N128bn budget for National Assembly is a travesty.
N128bn budget for National Assembly is a travesty.
N128bn budget for National Assembly is a travesty.

— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) October 8, 2020

128 Budget for National Assembly is too humongous. I'm urging the @nassnigeria under the leadership of @sen_ahmedlawal and @femigbaja to downsize the budget for the interest of this Nation. Nigeria is facing a lot of financial crises. @MBuhari @ZShamsuna

— Abubakar Suleiman (@Sadiq_002) October 8, 2020

👀👀..So the national assembly gets over three times the health budget of over 200 million Nigerians. We are not even close to being ready. https://t.co/in498xjCtz

— Sadeeq (@sadiq_dambatta) October 8, 2020

National assembly got more allocations than basic health

We are real not serious in Nigeria

— Adegboyega Debbydove (@DebbyTheDove) October 8, 2020

Who is justifying anything now? Do you think it is only the members of the NASS that only share that money? Do you know there are workers there, civil servants? Have you heard of National Assembly Commission, National Assembly Institute etc. before?🤣🤣🤣🤣

— Enetomhe Stephen (@Aloyebaba) October 8, 2020

National Assembly 128 billion?
😪😪😪

— Mr Sogo! 🇳🇬 (@Ogungbemiidowu3) October 8, 2020

National Assembly chopping more than sectors of the country 🙂

— Akande Michael (@mb_akande) October 8, 2020