“NASS budget ballooned from N23.3 billion to N125 billion between 2003 & 2019. On a yearly basis, 50% of this money is spent on stationery, computers, cars etc.
BudgIT, a civic tech organization in Nigeria, has demanded a big cut from the annual budget of the National Assembly.
Proposing a 58 percent slash from N125billion to N52billion, BudgIT claimed that 50 percent of the budget should be centralized in the General Service Unit for efficiency.
Reacting to the sale of some office materials by outgoing lawmakers, BudgIT in a tweet thread called for a probe into the buying and selling of items by lawmakers.
“NASS budget ballooned from N23.3 billion to N125 billion between 2003 & 2019. On a yearly basis, 50% of this money is spent on stationery, computers, cars etc – all for sale below. Surely there's a cartel within NASS mgt. Who'll probe this?” BudgIT tweeted.
Itemizing some of the materials listed for sale, the civic tech organization tweeted, “The breakdown showed that a Samsung double door refrigerator was given out for N25,000; HP Envy Core 13, N49,000; Apple Ipad Air computer, N41,980; LED TV Samsung UA4600AR 50, N59,500. Shredding machine, N19,800; Water dispenser with bottle, N8,990.
“Photocopying machine Sharp Copier AR 6021 N57,172; Scanner HP Scanjet Pro 3900 Fi N20,130; HP Laserjet Pro M201 N10,038; Desktop Computer Model Envy 23” Touch screen; and Suit hanger N1,900.
“Any member taking the entire 11 items would pay N349,970,50 with N17,498.83 as VAT.”
BudgIT stated that the government should immediately slash the budget of the ninth national assembly while adding that the rip-off and mismanagement of public funds should not continue.
“SLASH NASS BUDGET! Our position remains: NASS budget should be cut down to N52bn from N125 billion.
“All overhead items, which account for 50% of the budget, should be centralized in the General Services Unit for efficiency. This rip-off cannot continue!”
In the 2018 budget of the National Assembly, N93,302,013,406 was earmarked for overhead cost, which part would be used for purchasing stationeries and office materials.