Standup9ja - Open up NASS budget to public scrutiny, CSOs tell Saraki
A coalition of civil
society organisations (CSOs) under the auspices of Civil Society
Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has asked Senate President Bukola
Saraki to open up the National Assembly budget to public scrutiny.
The CSOs, in a letter, which
was submitted to Senate President, gave two weeks ultimatum to the
Senate to address the issues raised because of they called its failure
to provide leadership for a more accountable system both within the
National Assembly and in the larger governance architecture despite all
the entreaties, advocacies and agitations.
Olanrewaju Suraj, who read out
the content of the letter to journalists at a news conference in Abuja,
said the organizations were ready to mobilise Nigerians from all walks
of life to mount an occupation at the Senate if the upper chamber of
National Assembly fail to act swiftly on the issues.
The organizations and
personalities that signed the letter included Dr Jibrin Ibrahim, Auwal
Musa Rafsanjani – Executive Director – Civil Society Legislative
Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Eze Nwagwu - Say No Campaign, Faith Nwadishi –
Executive Director – Centre for
Gender and Development, Yunusa Zakari Ya’u - Centre for Information
Technology and Development (CITAD), Chido Onumah – Coordinator – African
Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Naseer Kura –
Executive Director – Basic Rights Action (BRA) and Debo Adeniran –
Executive Director – Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership
(CACOL).
Others were Kemi Okenyodo:
Partners West Africa, Nigeria, Ibrahim Modibbo – Executive Director
–Democrats of Conscience, Shamsideen Yusuf –
Centre for Democracy and Development, Muhammed Attah - Procurement
Observation and Advocacy Initiative, Dr. George-Hill Anthony -
Niger-Delta Budget Monitoring Group, Dr. Bunmi Awoyemi - Citizen United
for Peace and Stability (CUPS) and Emeka Betram – Executive Director –
Person with Disabilities Action Network (PEDANET).
They said since the 8th National
Assembly recently compelled such hitherto opaque agencies like FIRS,
CBN and NNPC to subject their budget to scrutiny, it is important that
the National Assembly follows the rule it has set for other agencies and
institutions by making its own budget open for public scrutiny.
They also implored the Senate to
do an immediate review of its budget and spending, streamlining it in
consonance with not only the present realities of the country but the
everyday living conditions of majority of Nigerians.
They further urged Senate
President and other principal officers of the Senate to show commitment
to transparency and accountability by publicly declaring their assets.
"We demand urgent status
declaration of pensions and gratuities received by former governors and
deputy governors presently in the Red Chamber and receiving multiple
housing and transportation allowances both as former state executives
and serving Senators.
We also urge you as the leader of the National
Assembly to set an example by making your declaration of asset public,"
the letter read in part.
To demonstrate commitment to the
fight against corruption, they advised Senate President to put in place
the necessary mechanisms to ensure that the issue of a substantive
chairman for the EFCC is dealt with as expeditiously and transparently
as possible.
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