Despite the nation’s economic challenges, federal lawmakers have raised their own allocation in the 2024 budget to an unprecedented N344.48 billion.
The lawmakers increased by over 50 per cent the N197 billion proposed by President Bola Tinubu for them in the budget proposal submitted to them in November.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the federal budget on Saturday after increasing it from N27.5 trillion proposed by the president to N28.7 trillion, a difference of about N1.2 trillion.
The increase in the allocation of the National Assembly is coming at a time Nigerians are being asked to endure pains due to the economic reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration.
The lawmakers continued the trend of arbitrary increment of their budgets irrespective of the economic situation facing the country.
Previous allocations
Between 2011 and 2014, the National Assembly had a fixed budget of N150 billion but it was slashed in 2015 to N130 billion due to the crash in the price of oil.
Under former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was in power between 2015 and 2023, the budget was further reduced to N125 billion, but was increased to N128 billion in 2021, N134 billion in 2022 and N228 billion in 2023.
Many believe that the “stagnant budget” in the 8th Assembly (2015-2019) was due to the strained relationship between the leadership of the National Assembly and Mr Buhari.
The former president proposed a budget of N169 billion for the National Assembly in 2023, but the lawmakers increased it to N228 billion.
One of the reasons given by the lawmakers was that “certain projects were not catered for in the initial budget.”
In addition, the lawmakers allocated N30 billion for payment of severance allowance of their aides and ex-lawmakers.
President Tinubu proposed N197 billion as budget estimate for the National Assembly in the 2024 budget thus reducing the 2023 budget by about N30 billion.
However, the lawmakers upped their proposal to a record N344.5 billion, an increase of about N147 billion.
Breakdown of NASS budget
National Assembly Office – N36.7 billion Senate – N49.1 billion
House of Representatives – N78.6 billion
National Assembly Service Commission – 12.3 billion
Legislative Aides – N20.3 billion
NILDS to get N9.09 billion
Service-wide votes – N15.1 billion
Senate Appropriation Committee – N200 million
House Appropriation Committee – N200 million
Public Account committees of Senate and House – N280.7 million
NASS Library Take Off Grant – N12.1 billion
National Assembly building (ongoing) – N4.2 billion
NASS Liabilities – N8.5 billion
NASS E-Library – N225 million
Constitution Review – N1 billion
Completion of NILDS HQ – N4.5 billion Construction of NASC Building – N10 billion
Office of Clerks and Permanent Secretaries – N1.2 billion
Alternative Power System – N4 billion
NASS Zonal Offices – N3 billion
Senate Car Park – N3 billion
Reps Car Park -N3 billion
Furnishing of committee rooms (Senate) -N2.7 billion
Furnishing of committee rooms (House) – N3 billion
Design, Construction, Furnishing and Equipping of NASS Ultramodern Printing Press – N3 billion
Design, Construction, Furnishing and Equipping of the National Assembly Budget & Research Office (NABRO) – N4 billion
NASS Hospital Project – N15 billion
NASS Recreation Centre – N4 billion
Procurement of Books for the NASS Library – N3 billion
NASS Pension Board (Take-Off Grant) – N2.5 billion.
NASS allocation higher than educational institutions
PREMIUM TIMES had in an analysis X-rayed initial proposal of N197 billion concluded that it was more than the allocations to 26 federal universities.
Undeterred, the lawmakers increased their budget to a record level despite the outcry on the current budget.
Many Nigerians believe that President Tinubu may not have the moral leverage to caution the lawmakers because the presidency has not been prudent in its own spendings.
This newspaper reported how the executive planned to spend billions on renovations of residential buildings of the president and vice president, billions on the purchase of luxurious vehicles.
Earlier, the National Assembly splashed billions on luxurious vehicles for the lawmakers.
Why NASS increased federal budget by N1.2 trillion – Committee chair
Overall, the National Assembly increased President Tinubu’s budget proposal by N1.2 trillion.
The president had in November proposed a N27.5 trillion budget. However, the lawmakers increased it to N28.7 trillion.
READ ALSO: National Assembly passes 2024 budget after increasing MDAs allocations
Speaking at the presentation of the budget, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, explained why the National Assembly increased the federal budget by N1.2 trillion.
Mr Bichi said the proposal was increased because of the commitment by revenue generating agencies to increase inflow.
“We have inflation and exchange rate for the dollar, the executive proposed N750 to the dollar, but after we studied carefully, we look at it – it is unrealistic. So, we increased it to N800.
“And also we had a meeting with the GOEs, we believe that their submissions is not enough. They have agreed to increase their revenue to N700 billion. That is how we are able to get that 1.2 trillion, which we applied to capital. This is the first time the capital is bigger than recurrent,” Mr Bichi said.
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