Whereas hundreds of thousands battle below tight state budgets, Nigeria’s 469-member Nationwide Meeting indulged in a staggering ₦280 billion spending spree in 2023.
This determine, obtained by BusinessDay, exhibits the dwarf budgets of 19 particular person states, leaving Nigerians questioning the priorities and extravagance of their elected representatives.
States like Ekiti, with a inhabitants of over 3.5 million, managed a mere ₦202 billion, whereas Bauchi, with over 8 million residents, needed to make do with a meagre ₦122 billion. These comparisons paint an image of legislative largesse amid widespread financial hardship.
Nigeria’s bicameral legislature, comprising the 360-member Home of Representatives and the 109-seat Senate, has lengthy been a goal for criticism over its seemingly insatiable urge for food for funds. In 2010, the then-Central Financial institution Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi raised eyebrows by claiming the Nationwide Meeting gulped down 25% of the nationwide price range.
The pattern continues, with 2023 witnessing a big bounce from the ₦134 billion spent in 2022.
This ballooning price range has fueled requires a drastic overhaul, with many advocating for a single, leaner legislative physique. Critics level to the latest ₦57.6 billion SUV buy for lawmakers as a first-rate instance of misplaced priorities, significantly amidst rising dwelling prices.
Nevertheless, the Nationwide Meeting has constantly defended its spending, citing the necessity to preserve its legislative features and assist its quite a few administrative workers and aides.
This price range disparity has ignited public anger, with many Nigerians feeling their elected officers prioritise their consolation over the welfare of the folks they characterize.
Will the federal government heed public outcry and implement austerity measures throughout the Nationwide Meeting, or will the lavish spending proceed to empty assets from a struggling nation?
