More than 200 members of the House of Representatives have taken delivery of brand new exotic cars, though all 360 lawmakers have yet to receive their July salaries.
On Sunday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, disclosed that over 200 members had been given Peugeot 508 series for “utility services.”
Namdas stated that by the plan of the House, all 360 lawmakers would have taken delivery of their cars by December 31.
Each of the vehicles cost N17m and will consume a total of N6.1bn to supply all 360 units.
Namdas spoke further, “Over 200 have been supplied out of 360 and we are still getting more.
“Every member will get a car by the end of this year. The issue is that the payment and supply of the vehicle is being done in installments.
“The House and the company (Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited) agreed to this arrangement of paying and supplying in installments.
“Naturally, not all the members can get their cars at the same time and we have explained to them why this cannot be possible.”
Findings showed that in the last few days, more supplies of the Peugeot 508 had been received, raising the number to “over 200.”
Asked to comment more on the issue, Namdas said part of the problem was funding challenges.
For example, he said some funding for the cars was included in the 2017 budget.
“You know that we have not started the implementation of the 2017 budget fully.
“You will appreciate the fact that payment for these cars will come from the budget. So, that issue too is there,” he added.
Lawmakers receive between N690,000 and N1.1m monthly as salaries, depending on how much deductions are made from a member’s pay to settle debts and other facilities.
In addition, they receive a quarterly allocation of between N27.9m and N33m.
But, a dip in flow of funds to the legislature in recent months and delays have led to cuts, affecting the pockets of the majority of members.
Investigations revealed that most of the members had stayed back in Abuja, one week after the National Assembly adjourned for six weeks.
They are said not to be in a hurry to visit their constituencies for now due to the cash crunch.
One Peoples Democratic Party member from Edo State, Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma, and a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kano State, Mr. Bashir Baballe, confirmed to a media house that the lawmakers were owed salaries.
Agbonayinma stated, “I don’t know what else to say. We are suffering. Nigerians are suffering.
“The National Assembly is treated with levity; they don’t take our case seriously.
“The people in the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, they tell you the same story every day.
“If there is no money, are those in the Executive not running their services? That is why I have been praying that President Muhammadu Buhari should get well fast and return home.
“So much is not going on well and we need a system that is not stagnated but working properly.”
