By Richard ORIRI
The purported promised donation of a large chunk of the salaries of members of the National Assembly to the COVID-19 fund set up by the federal government, appears to be an empty promise after all.
Five weeks after the 109 Senators promised 50 percent of their jumbo salaries and their 360 counterparts in the House of Representatives; their two-month pay, no kobo has been paid into the fund by the ‘Distinguised’ and ‘Honourable’ Federal legislators.
In a rare show of solidarity with the rest of Nigerians and in line with the mood of the nation, the legislators, on March 30 and 31 respectively announced this generous donation which caught most of their compatriots unawares due to the perceived ‘greediness’ of the lawmakers by members of the public
KaftanPost checks reveal that though the NASS members have since received their salaries, which were hurriedly paid ostensibly to aid the donation on time, no plan was put in place by the leadership of the legislature to either set up a fund into which the donation could be made, neither did the lawmakers advise to pay directly to the fund set up by the executive.
Instead, the money was paid into the usual constituency project subhead, and pocketed by the lawmakers who headed home after the NASS went on recess, following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus and the attendant COVID -19.
The outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus, known officially as the Coronavirus Disease 2019, (COVID-19 for short) has brought out all manifestations of human emotions ranging from fear, despair, anger, to hope, kindness, solidarity, and more than all others, the virtue of generosity by which many have given from their wealth of materials and money and others, their time and talents, with many sacrificing their lives to save others.
Nigerians were pleasantly surprised and justifiably proud to learn that their notoriously grabby Federal legislators announced a rare decision to contribute two months of their salaries to fund the nation’s effort to combat the dreaded COVID-19. But what has happened to this unsolicited but welcome promise? Have the legislators kept their word? It does not appear that there is any such fund set up anywhere within the Legislative Branch and no contribution has been made by National Assembly members to the national COVID-19 fund which has surpassed N25 billion as at the last public accounting of donations. Federal legislators have not made any donations to any fund at all. What is certain is that the National Assembly members accelerated the processing and collection of their own salaries ostensibly to fulfill their promise to donate to the COVID-19 funds, but what has happened to the monies which have not found their way into any COVID-19 fund is the subject of this report as Kaftanpost investigates.
Weeks after the outbreak of COVID-19 with the attendant consequences of the pandemic on human life, the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T), Lagos and Ogun went on two weeks total lockdown on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, to contain the spread and effective contact tracing of possible infected individuals.
The challenge posed by the global pandemic moved corporate bodies and individuals to contribute to the Special Relief Fund set up by the government to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic.
In the same spirit, the two Chambers of the National Assembly; the Senate, and the House of Representatives, announced on March 30th and 31st, 2020 that they would be contributing their salaries to the National Relief Fund Account to tackle the epidemic.
While the House of Representatives announced through its Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila of the planned donation of two Months salaries of Members of the House of Representatives, on 31st March 2020, the Senate, through the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, announced on 30th March 2020, barely 24hours before the House of Representatives made its pronouncement, that 50 percent of Senators’ salaries would be contributed to the efforts to respond to the spread and treatment of Coronavirus in Nigeria.
This move by the most populous black nation’s lawmakers to contribute their salaries to the National Relief Fund Account was cynically done as the said salaries pronounced were mopped up and paid to the individual lawmakers’ accounts to be dealt with in the unaccountable practice of their usual Constituency allowances and other constituency denominated funds, characterized by the discretionary dispensation of each lawmaker. The majority of the lawmakers went to their constituency in shows of power and affluence in the name of Constituency sensitization against COVID-19 or token donations of measly palliative items not centrally accounted for or independently vetted.
Few days after the planned donation was pronounced, the two Chambers went on recess and the 10 percent of their annual salaries as recess allowance was paid in addition to them, and squandered, while the nation wallows in economic recession and citizens suffering in abject poverty and death.
The damage caused by COVID-19 on the Country’s economy has forced President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the report of Orosaye Committee which suggested for the merger of some Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies and possible scrapping of some in order to cut the cost of governance in the country as a measure to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on the nation’s economy.
The highest-paid officials of the government in Nigeria and major challenges to the nation’s economy are the nation’s lawmakers who have seen no reason yet to agitate for deduction in their salaries in line with global best practice at a time when the nation is on a standstill, fighting the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country and crippling its economic fortunes almost with barehands.
The current 9th National Assembly lawmakers elected to represent the various Constituencies and Senatorial Districts upon assumption of office in June 2019, got a total of 4.68b Naira as their welcome package.
The welcome package, as investigated by Kaftanpost, was meant for accommodation and furniture allowances.
Each member of the House of Representatives was paid N9,926,062. Bringing the 360 lawmakers of the House of Representatives welcome package to a total sum of N3.57bn.
Each Senator was paid N10,132,000 as both furniture and accommodation allowances, while accommodation took N4,052,800.58, and their individual furniture allowances was N6,079,200.05
Other allowances paid to the Members of the 9th National Assembly are Motor Vehicle maintenance and fueling allowance which is pegged at 75 percent of their monthly salary.
Others are Personal Assistant-25 percent of their salary, Domestic Staff- 75 percent of their salary, entertainment – 30 percent, Utilities – 30 percent, Newspaper – 15 percent, Wardrobe – 25 percent, House maintenance – 5 percent, and Constituency allowance -250 percent of their salary.
On Motor Vehicle allowance, each Senator is meant to receive the sum of #8,105,600 while each Member of House of Representatives was entitled to #7,940,850.50.
According to Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Motor Vehicle allowance is payable to members of the National Assembly once in four years and optional as it is given as a loan.
Other allowances that are not paid to the lawmakers directly but provided by the government and paid are allowances for their Special Assistants, Security and Legislative Aids.
The lawmakers are also entitled to duty tour and estacode allowances plus recess allowance.
Every Senator has a duty tour allowance of #37,000 naira per night and an estacode of $950 dollar per night while recess is 10 percent of their annual salary.
For a Member of House of Representatives, duty tour allowance (DTA) is #35,000 naira per night while estacode is $900 dollars per night, and recess allowance is 10 percent of their annual salary.
In a bid to unraveling the true position of what the lawmakers are doing with the fund at their various Constituencies and Senatorial Districts, kaftanpost.com got the following findings.
1. Senator Abiodun Olujimi, Ekiti Central Senatorial District, when contacted on phone by Kaftanpost, declared Coronavirus as a global pandemic and Nigeria’s most terrible challenge that deserves pragmatic leadership approach to deal with. On what her commitment towards cushioning the effect of COVID-19 on her people holds, the Senator said she was at the time in her Village reaching out to everybody across Party line within the entire Ekiti State and that she was giving out Cash donations to Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the poor and vulnerable even within her area where she lives in Abuja. This is a pandemic and everybody must be involved in the fight. She stressed.
2. In a similar vein, Senator Sam Onminyi Egwu, Ebonyi North Central Senatorial District, when contacted, the Personal Assistant to the Senator, Barr. Ikechukwu Agbo said that the Senator so far had given an undisclosed cash donation to Ebonyi State government as part of the Senator’s contribution to the fight against the deadly disease in the State. Apart from that, food items were distributed to the poor and vulnerable, and that list of another batch of beneficiaries being compiled for further distribution. The Personal Assistant also said that some good number of hand sanitizers were bought and distributed and handbills printed and shared to sensitize the people against the dangers of COVID-19 pandemic.
3. In another development, an electorate from Benue South Senatorial District, known as Zone C, Prince Yemi Itodo who doubles as Chairman, Association of Social Media Group Operators in the National Assembly, informed kaftanpost.com that Senator Abba Moro, who’s the Senator representing the Zone C people in the 9th National Assembly was yet to reach out to his people but that the Senator Inaugurated an 8 man Committee late April to distribute the Federal and National Assembly Joint COVID-19 pandemic Palliatives designed to mitigate the consequences of the lockdown on the poorest of poor and vulnerable families in Benue South Senatorial District, also known as Zone C.
According to Prince Yemi Itodo, the Committee was headed by Hon. Ezekiel Adaji, immediate past House of Representatives Member for Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency. The terms of reference submitted to the Committee by the Senator according to Yemi Itodo was to select 500 poorest of the poor and vulnerable families based on the quality of the 102 Political Wards in the Senatorial District. The Committee was also charged with the responsibility to monitor and supervise the distribution of the palliative in a transparent way.
4. Hon. Nkem Anyata-Lafia, the Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, representing Hong/Gombi Constituency of Adamawa State, when contacted, said the Honourable Member had since before the House pronouncement to donates her two Months salaries established a CORONAVIRUS TRUST FUND and donated all his salaries to it in the bid to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on the good people of his Constituency. He further stated that the Honourable member has distributed palliatives inform of food items and cash to the people to cushioning the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on the poor and vulnerable within and outside his Constituency and still doing more across the State of Adamawa to ameliorate the sufferings of the pandemic on his people.
5. Moving on to Ondo State, Mr Charles Akinwon, Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to Senator Ayo Akinyelure of Ondo Central Senatorial District, the distinguished Senator has given palliative measure to over 6,500 members of his Senatorial Zone, which was done across Party line.
6. Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, when contacted, said he has given palliative to families across the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra State.
He gave the breakdown as follows:
1. 26,000 bags of 5kg Rice.
2. 11,200 bags of 5kg garri.
3. 9,400 Cartons of Tummy Tummy Noddles.
4. 6,000 bottles of cooking oil.
5. 32,000 bottles of hand sanitizers.
6. 62,000 disposable Face Mask.
7. 8,000 washable Face Mask.
8. 2,000 bags of 25kg rice.
9. 42 numbers of Thermometer and
10. 62 Tricycles known as KEKE.
7. When contacted, Honourable Armayau Abdulkadir, Representing Dutsinma/Kurfi Federal Constituency of Katsina State, said before now, he had sacrificed his allowances to the welfare of the people of his Constituency. At this time of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the Country, the Honourable said he has distributed palliative in no small measure in form of cash and materials to remedy the effect of the global pandemic on his people and still doing more.
From the above investigation, it was discovered by kaftanpost.com that legislators in Nigeria are only accountable to themselves. The people they so represent are not consulted to take part in their policies and programs. Whatever they so wish to do is what they do. The consideration of whether their programmes capture the needs and interests of the people means nothing to the majority of Nigerian legislators. How the ongoing exercise will be accounted for, remain a mirage to many Nigerians.
The fact is that the claims by the lawmakers are not verifiable, remain undocumented and there is no system designed by the National Assembly for monitoring and reporting the utilization of the so-called donations. It is therefore extremely difficult, if not impossible to ascertain whether these individuals’ acts of generosity of the legislators are factual, COVID-19 related, or reflects the amount claimed to be donated.
Kaftanpost findings show that, in the constituencies where Federal legislators distributed gifts, they were in the usual campaign-style, personal display, and self-promotion with no coordination with public health officials and institutional structures.
Observers who spoke to Kaftanpost are unanimous that lawmakers have merely pulled a wool over the faces of Nigerians by pretending to donate their salaries while receiving the same into their own pockets to be spent at will. The only honourable way out now seems to be a choice which only the lawmakers themselves can make: either to withdraw the publicly made promise of donating their salaries to the fight against COVID-19 or to actually pool the salary amounts promised into a fund and make the donation to an agency involved in the fight against COVID-19 to be spent transparently and independently of the members of the National Assembly who reserve the right to receive reports on how their donations and indeed all other funds committed to COVID-19 programmes have been spent. Individual acts of private charity and gifting by lawmakers at home do not measure up to similar gestures which most Nigerians from poor to the rich as well as religious and secular organizations have done in their localities and communities without much publicity to justify lawmakers to dodge the duty to fulfil the monetary donations publicly announced to national applause. There is nothing honourable or distinguishable in a ruse.
