“Drop Plan to Spend N110bn On Bulletproof Cars, Others” – SERAP Urges Senate, Representatives to Do

 

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, and Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives, “to drop the scandalous plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members.”
In a statement dated July 15, 2023, and signed by the organization’s deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation made this information public.

In addition, SERAP encouraged them to “request President Bola Tinubu to present a fresh supplementary appropriations bill, to redirect the N110 billion to address the situation of the over 20 million out-of-school children in Nigeria,” which would then need to be approved by the National Assembly.

While 306 newly elected legislators receive a N70 billion “support allowance,” only N500 billion is allocated for palliative care for Nigeria’s 12 million destitute citizens. In addition, N40 billion would be used to purchase 465 SUVs and armoured cars for members and top executives.

According to the letter, members of the National Assembly “must put an end to this travesty and the apparent conflicts of interest and self-dealing that have become commonplace among their ranks.”

Members of the National Assembly who boost their own budgets at will and utilize the budget to pay their lavish lifestyles are grossly negligent in their fiduciary duties.

While the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy has made life even more difficult for over 137 million poor Nigerians, lawmakers of the National Assembly have increased their personal budget by an unjustifiable amount.

We would appreciate it if the suggested actions were implemented no later than seven days after this letter was received and/or made public. After that time, SERAP will pursue any and all legal options available to compel you and the National Assembly to fulfill our request in the public interest if we have not heard from you.

Over 137 million poor Nigerians are feeling the effects of the loss of fuel subsidy, but rather than exercising their constitutional and oversight roles to advance the public interest, MPs seem to be looking out for themselves.

Reports state that the Senate will purchase at least 107 Toyota Landcruiser 2023 models while the House will purchase at least 358 Toyota Prado 2023 models for usage by lawmakers.

The intended purchase is not the same as the four presiding officials of the National Assembly sharing one official bulletproof car.

Apparently, the N110 billion in spending that members of the National Assembly have suggested is in addition to the N281 billion allotted to them in the 2023 National Assembly budget. New member ‘inauguration expenses’ are budgeted at N30.17 billion, but the planned spending is far higher.

“SERAP is worried that the National Assembly’s budget would be boosted even higher because members are reportedly expecting a raise in their salary and allowances to compensate for the loss of the fuel subsidy.

“The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary aim of government, as provided for in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 [as amended].

The National Assembly must “secure the maximum welfare, freedom, and happiness of every citizen” and “harvest the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic, and self-reliant economy” in accordance with Section 16(1)(a)(b).

For example, “Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels,'” which is found in Section 18 of the Nigerian Constitution. To that purpose, the government must ensure that all citizens have access to a free, mandatory primary education.

“Every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory, and Universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age,'” Section 2(1) of the obligatory, Free Universal Basic Education Act states.

The National Assembly’s projected expenditure of N110 billion is a flagrant violation of Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights commitments.

Legislators, like other public servants, have a fiduciary duty to the people of Nigeria and must act in their best interests at all times.

Reducing the National Assembly’s budget by N110 billion would encourage more responsible, transparent, and lawful use of public funds, which is in line with your constitutional oath of office and the text and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution.

Millions of children, their families, and their communities have been devastatingly impacted by the issue of out-of-school children.

Children in Nigeria are at risk of serious harm, violence, and even death because they are not in school. It would be beneficial for Nigerian children to have better access to excellent education if the proposed spending of N110 billion was redirected to address the condition of over 20 million out-of-school children across the country.

“Education is not only a human right in its own right but also a necessary means to the end of the realization of other human rights. Education is the most effective tool for helping economically and socially disadvantaged adults and children break the cycle of poverty and gain full inclusion in society.

The right to an education of sufficient quality, taking into account the state’s financial means, is one of the socioeconomic rights that states are obligated to implement in accordance with international law. Human rights can be violated when there is a severe imbalance of resources that prevents people from receiving an adequate education.

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