Lawmakers Earnings Insufficient To Address Needs Of Constituents

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has said earnings of members of the National Assembly cannot take care of the volume of requests from their constituencies.

Akpabio made the submission on Monday, while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Abdulraman Kawu Suleiman, addressing the need to avert the impending strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

He, however, insisted that the the sum of N14.250 million monthly pay is grossly inadequate for the lawmakers.

We understands that lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber receive about N14.2 million monthly for both salary and running cost.

“I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month.

“But what I am saying is that, that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000,” former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani had disclosed.

The Senate President in response to Kawu’s motion said, although hardship associated with removal of subsidy on petroleum products is unquantifiable, Nigerians need to be more patient with the government, as it devises steps to mitigate their suffering.