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12m families to settle for peanut of N8,000 for 6 months
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Money not only for lawmakers – Senate Spox
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Tinubu’s N53 per day palliative an avenue to divert public funds, buy votes – Atiku
By Christiana Ekpa, Musa Baba Adamu and Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Both chambers of the National Assembly will share the sum of seventy billion as a supplementary budget to allow for conducive working condition for the new members of the parliament, even as the National Judicial Council (NJC) will receive the sum of thirty five billion naira as palliative.
Similarly, President Bola Tinubu has said 12 million families will get N8,000 over a period of six months to lessen the hardships faced by Nigerians as a result of subsidy removal.
In a letter to both chambers of the National Assembly read respectively by the Senate President and Speaker, Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Tuesday, Tinubu said the money was support for poor and vulnerable Nigerians and to help them cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.
The letter was for approval of additional financing for the National Social Safety Net Programme scaled up by the National Assembly.
He said this would have a multiplier effect on about 60 million individuals.
In order to guarantee the credibility of the process, he said, digital transfers would be made directly to beneficiaries accounts.
Part of the Letter reads: “It is with pleasure that I refer the above matter to you. Please note that the Federal Executive Council led by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR (“FEC”) approved an additional loan facility to the tune of USD800,000,000 (Eight Hundred Million United States Dollars) to be secured from the World Bank for the National Social Safety Net Programme (the “Programme”) (Copy of FEC Extract attached).
“You may also wish to note thät the purpose of the facility is to expand coverage of shock responsive safety net support for poor and vulnerable Nigerians and to help them cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.
“You may further wish to note that under the conditional cash transfer window of the Programme, the Federal Government of Nigeria will transfer the sum of N8,000 per month to 12,000,000 (twelve million) poor and low income households for a period of 6 (six) months with a multiplier effect on about 60,000,000 (sixty million) individuals. In order to guarantee the credibility of the process, digital transfers will be made directly to beneficiaries’ account and mobile wallets.
“It is expected that the Programme will stimulate economic activity in the informal sector and improve nutrition, health and education outcomes for beneficiary households.
“Given the above, I wish to invite the House of Representatives to kindly grant approval for the additional loan facility of USD800,000,000.00 (Eight. Hundred Million United States Dollars) to be secured from the World Bank for the National Social Safety Net Programme.
“While hoping that this submission will receive expeditious consideration, please accept the assurances of my highest regards”, he said.
In a related development, The National Assembly has approved the request of President Tinubu for an amendment to the 2022 Appropriation Act to allow the government take N500 billion for palliatives to cushion the pains of subsidy removal on Nigerians.
The Committee of Supply of both chambers approved the President’s request after deliberation by members, who called for proper utilization of the funds for the purpose of what it was approved for.
In the green chamber, the Leader, Julius Ihonvbare, who presented the request to members for debate, said the country now has a President who listens to the yearnings of the people.
The Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, however said the proper yardstick to measure a government is when the government is responsible and responsive.
He said approving the palliatives is not the only thing, but that the House should put in place a mechanism to monitor the use of the palliatives and ensure that the purpose for which it is meant for is achieved.
The letter read: “I write to request for the amendment of the 2022 supplementary Appropriation Act. The request became necessary to provide necessary palliatives to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.
“Thus, the sum of N500 billion has been extracted from the 2022 supplementary appropriation act of N819.536 billion for the provisions of palliatives to cushion the effects of subsidy removal. I seek the expeditious consideration of this request.”
The breakdown of the President request reads,”N500 billion for palliatives and other capital expenditure to cushion the effect of recent subsidy removal policy.
“N185,236,937,815 to Ministry of Works and Housing to alleviate the impact of the severe flooding experienced in the country in 2022 on road infrastructure across the 6 geopolitical zones.
“N19,200,000,000 to Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ameliorate the massive destruction to farmlands across the country during the severe flooding experienced last year.
“N35 billion to National Judicial Council N10 billion to Federal Capital Territory Administration for critical projects
“N70 billion to National Assembly to support the working conditions of new members”.
Meanwhile, briefing journàlists after the approval, the Senate Spokesman, Yemi Adara Amodu, said the N70 billion is not for lawmakers alone, but for the entire supporting staff working in the parliament.
He said the palliative will be funded from the money that has been saved from the bloated figure of PMS consumption, which has now been reduced drastically.
Speaking further, he dismissed the claims that the National Assembly approved fresh loan for Tínubu, saying the Special Safety Net Programme okayed by the parliament is not a loan, but a facility given to the country by World Bank to cushion the effect of hardship facing Nigerians.
He added that it had to be legislated on by the parliament as the Constitution requires.
