A Nigerian Senator in the eighth Senate is collecting N13.5 million as running cost every month, a fiery Senator has revealed.
Shehu Sani, the Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district, said: “I think what we can say is that the running cost of a Senator is N13.5 million every month.”
Sani, who made the revelation in an interview with The News magazine, said receipts must be produced to back up expenses for retirement of the amount monthly.
“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,” the Senator explained.
Commenting on the constituency projects, he stated, “The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis. And almost every Senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.
“You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount.
And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.”
According to him, “The corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and transparency groups have come into it.
“They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used. So, it is becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past to happen now.
The vocal Senator observed “But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and leave Senators and members of House of Representatives with salaries. And also, the public should be informed that nobody should come to any senator’s house asking for any kobo. That also would be helpful.
“The only money you are not expected to account for is your salary and the salary of a senator is about N750, 000 per month. The other one- the running cost of office must be accounted for. You must provide a receipt for every expense you make,” he added.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Senator Shehu Sani advocated the sum of $300 (about N150,000) as minimum wage for Nigerian workers. The Senator made the statement on Monday, May 1, 2017 during the Workers Day celebrations in Kaduna.
Sani described the current N18,000 minimum wage as ‘a big insult’ to Nigerian workers adding that, the amount was not even enough to feed a politician’s dog in a month.
(NAIJ.com)
