‘FG To Spend N23.48 Billion On Lawmakers’ Accommodation’

Indications are that the Federal Government might be paying about N23.48 billion for housing allowances for members of the National Assembly for their four-year tenure.

Naija News gathered that annually, about N5.87 billion would be expended on accommodation for lawmakers, so in the four years of their tenure, a total of about N23.48 billion would be expended.

According to The Punch, the allowances are based on data collated from a document obtained from the website of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).

It covers allowances for accommodation (200% of basic salary), domestic staff (75 % of basic salary), utilities (30%of basic salary), house maintenance (five per cent of basic salary), wardrobe (25% of basic salary) and furniture (300% of basic salary).

This platform understands that from the total amount, the housing allowances of the 107 Senators excluding the Senate President and Deputy Senate President which was not disclosed by the RMAFC will cost about N1.38 billion yearly.

Also, although furniture allowance is usually paid once in four years for public office holders, the frequency of payment is not disclosed for members of the National Assembly.

According to the report, further breakdown reveals that N4.05 million was allocated for accommodation, N1.52 million for domestic staff, N607,920 for utilities, N101,320 for house maintenance, N506,600 for wardrobe allowance, and N6.08 million for furniture allowance.

For that of the members of the House of Representatives, their housing allowances will cost N4.49bn yearly.

A breakdown shows that N3.97 million was allocated for accommodation, N1.48 million for domestic staff, N595,563.75 for utilities, N99,260.62 for house maintenance, N496,303.12 for wardrobe allowance, and N5.96m for furniture allowance.

It was gathered that similarly, the allowances of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were not disclosed by the RMAFC, meaning the total amount covers only the allowances for the 356 House of Representatives members.

Since the allocations for the Senate President and his deputy and the Speaker and his Deputy were not disclosed, it means that the N5.87 billion is likely below the total amount the members of the National Assembly would get as housing allowances yearly.