The National Publicity Secretary of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Isuwa Dogo has said the recent allegation of budget padding that rocked the Senate is no surprise, claiming it has become a recurring decimal over the years.
Speaking on the allegations trailing the 2024 federal budget, constituency projects, among others in recent times, Dogo claimed that the phenomenon cuts across government departments, agencies and ministries.
He said: “The budget is always padded; anybody who is politically conscious and close to the system knows this. All the government departments are involved. There is no where they (legislators) go for oversight function that they are not taken off. So, it is nothing to talk about.
“In the last Christmas, it was alleged that the senators collected N300 million and House of Representatives’ members collected N200 million respectively.
“Have they ever given reason why they are changing the figures and why is it always in increase not decrease; if increase were made, why the increase?
“Nigerians need to know; we need to ask questions. If you are altering the figure you should be able to give concrete reasons but we hardly see any decrease but only see increase.
“When the budget is being implemented, do we see the areas that have increase doing well or perform beyond the estimated budget or the job were done more than what executive planned for,” Dogo queried.
He emphasised that budget padding is not a public secret, adding that government departments are deeply in involved and no department of the government can be exonerated from this.
“Whenever they are traveling, these departments make contributions, in most cases, in foreign currencies.”
He accused members of the National Assembly of acting contrary to the will of Nigerians, adding that they are not always on the same page with those who they represent.
He said: “Why should ASUU be on strike for eight months when the money they are asking for is next to nothing compared to what the National Assembly get? “The senior ones among these lecturers did not get more than N400, 000 per month. Look at this, there is no basis for comparison with what the executive spends on emoluments and allowances.
“They have no image to redeem, what doesn’t exist cannot be redeemed. Tell me, is there any area like education, health and others that the National Assembly has exemplified itself and fought for the interest of the Nigerian masses.
“So National Assembly is just a cost centre and in truth they add no value to governance in Nigeria. They have never faced the executive to champion the course of the masses, hardly any.”
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