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Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the House of Representative, has said reducing the cost of governance by cutting of salaries and expenses of public officials should start from the executive arm of government.
Kalu told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that currently the two chambers of the National Assembly receive 0.8 per cent of the national budget which, according to him, is not enough the institution.
“The 0.8 percent of the national budget for the national assembly is not enough to run the institution. If you want to cut salaries, expenses, cost of governance, start it from the executive,” he said.
“That’s the truth because the 0.8 percent you’re talking about takes care of the senate and house. People think that the money that comes to the national assembly is divided by members of the house of representatives and the senate.
“That’s a wrong narrative being sold and that’s what Nigerians believe. That’s why my office is actually engaging in what’s called infographics that are going to be released very soon.
“That will break it down once members approve it so that you know where everything goes to. Nigerians will be shocked that people they thought were rich are not able to meet their needs and that’s the truth.
“It’s high time we started at the 99.902 percent of the national budget and stop focusing on the 0.8 percent of the national assembly.”
The lower chamber spokesperson further said it was deceitful that Nigerians are being made to focus only on the national assembly rather than monitoring the larger fraction of the nation’s budget.
“Nigerians are not focusing on that rather they’ve been conditioned to focus on the 0.8 percent,” he said.
“Nigerians need to change their focus and find out what’s happening to that 99.902 percent.”
