Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, has asked the National Assembly to disclose the details of its N197.9 billion budget proposal for 2024 fiscal year.
While the National Assembly has begun to summon heads of MDAs over their 2024 budget proposals, it has kept the public in the dark on how it will spend the funds allocated to it.
Rafsanjani condemned the envelope budgeting system which is usually shrouded in secrecy.
He said allocations of funds to the National Assembly must be for justifiable purposes and not for jamborees.
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“We have reviewed the budget details by the president and find out that some of the allocations are through envelope allocations. Envelope allocations is surrounded by secrecy; surrounded by corruption, waste and duplication and therefore, we cannot continue to have budget that is full of duplication, waste and corrupt tendencies.
“The National Assembly is scrutinising every government agencies; it is expected of them to live by example providing a breakdown of their budgets and posting on their websites.
“Although, it is still a proposal submitted to the National Assembly to look into, but ideally, the executive should have provided the breakdown of the National Assembly budget to show what their allocations should be and that should be on the basis of the effectiveness of the National Assembly and not just for sharing of money to members.
“It should be on the basis of the work they are going to do in terms of oversight and other legislative duties. It should not be with the purpose of cornering taxpayers’ money. Now, we expect the National Assembly to work with the executive to provide breakdown of the budget. There must be justification for every line item and it must not be for sharing money for holidays and other jamboree”, he said.
