- Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urges Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to cut the proposed N9.4bn presidency budget for travels, meals, and other expenses.
- SERAP also requests the reduction of the proposed N344.85bn National Assembly budget.
- The organization asks the National Assembly to disclose the detailed breakdown of its proposed budget and to invite heads of allegedly corrupt ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to explain missing public funds.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to reduce the proposed N9.4bn presidency budget for travels, meals, and other expenses. SERAP also requests the reduction of the proposed N344.85bn National Assembly budget, citing the need to address the budget deficit and the country’s dire economic situation.
SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare emphasized that any unnecessary spending by the presidency and the National Assembly would be a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution. The organization stresses that the proposed huge spending is neither necessary nor in the public interest, especially considering the country’s economic situation and the level of proposed borrowing to fund the 2025 budget.
The organization also urges the National Assembly to disclose the detailed breakdown of its proposed budget, including personnel costs, salaries, and allowances of lawmakers. Furthermore, SERAP requests that the National Assembly invite the heads of allegedly corrupt ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to explain missing public funds, as documented in the 2021 audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
SERAP warns that if the National Assembly fails to reduce unnecessary spending and tackle systemic corruption in MDAs, the organization may take legal action to compel the National Assembly to discharge its constitutional oversight and fiduciary responsibilities.
