Reps: We are broke — what a disservice to Nigerians!

The house of representatives says it is broke and their “poor budget is a disservice to Nigerians.”

Benjamin Kalu, the house spokesperson, told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the lawmakers “are in penury trying to run our own constitutional mandate.”

The federal lawmakers have often complained of having one of the lowest earnings among their counterparts globally despite receiving N800,000 as basic salary and N8.5 million as running cost monthly.

The national assembly’s budget was increased from N125 billion in 2020 to N128 billion this year.

Kalu, however, said the exchange rate has affected their budgetary allocations over the years.

“The house is broke. I have said it before and I am saying it again; I am not afraid of saying it,” he said.

“The dollar equivalent today has gone up to over N400, the purchasing power of the budget as it is now is weaker than it was 10 years ago.”

He added that he had confronted the leadership of the national assembly and asked them, “why are you afraid to raise the budget of the national assembly that will enable us conduct our services efficiently and effectively?”

“We appropriate for agencies to run effectively and yet, we are in penury trying to run our own constitutional mandate,” the lawmakers said. 

“It is a disservice to Nigerians and the poor budget of the parliament is a disservice to Nigerians.”