SERAP Urge Lawan, Gbajabiamila to Probe Missing N4.1bn Budgeted for NASS

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to probe the allegation that N4.1bn budgeted for the National Assembly is missing, diverted or stolen.

SERAP urged that the lawmakers and staff involved should be identified and handed over to the anti-corruption agencies.

“These allegations documented in the 2016 audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, are not part of the disclosure by the Auditor-General in other audited reports that N4.4bn of National Assembly money is missing, misappropriated, diverted or stolen.

“As part of its legislative and oversight functions, the National Assembly has a key role to play in the fight against corruption. But little can be achieved by the body if the leadership and members do not first confront the spectre of alleged corruption within their ranks.”

“Nigerians bear the heavy economic and social costs of corruption. The National Assembly, therefore, has a responsibility to curb it.”

The National Assembly paid some contractors N417,312,538.79 without any documents. The Auditor-General wants the Clerk to the National Assembly to ‘recover the amount in question from the contractors.’”