No more money for absent Confab delegates

The national conference has threatened to withdraw the allowances of delegates who skip plenary without genuine reasons.

Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, vice chairman of the conference, who made this known on Thursday, explained that the decision is meant to draw the attention of members who seem to underestimate the importance of attending plenary.

Akinyemi expressed the displeasure of the government with the development, saying absentees have until Monday to turn a new leaf.

“We don’t want to be treating delegates as secondary school pupils. As from Monday, delegates who don’t show up will not be paid sitting allowance unless on medical reasons,” he warned.

“We want you to know that this because we are all adults and we must be seen to be responsible. Government is worried that 50 per cent of the delegates don’t show up for debate. It is shown live and this is not good.

“They [Government officials] are now reminding us that there are government rules; and that when we are being paid sitting allowance, it must be seen to be so.”

Akinyemi urged the delegates to be responsible, reminding them that they were selected to deliberate over issues of national importance, which require the attention of everyone.

Unlike the full participation noticed when the conference commenced proceedings in March, the number of delegates at the plenaries continues to reduce gradually, despite the fact that that they only sit from Mondays to Thursdays.

Each delegate of the conference, which is expected to end on July 17, earns a sum of N4 million as monthly allowance.