The immediate past Senate President, David Mark, declared on
Monday that there was no secrecy in the finances of the National Assembly,
because parliamentary practices and procedures dictates that all issues should
be carried out in the open.
Mark made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja,
by his Media Assistant, Paul Mumeh,
while reacting to public outcry over the
National Assembly budgets and salaries
which many believed, are shrouded in
secrecy.
Mark maintained that,
“such allegation was borne out of deliberate mischief, blackmail or outright
ignorance.”
He said, “How can anyone claim that the National Assembly
budget is secret. Or that our earnings are secret. The National Assembly budget
is part and parcel of the Federal budget. It is not a separate document.
“If any body is in doubt, he or she should get a copy of the
National budget and clarify . It is a public document. Every time you hear
people talk about National Assembly budget as if it is independent of the
Federal budget.”
He insisted that anybody can access the National Assembly
budget, stressing that members were not responsible for fixing of their
salaries, but an appropriate federal government agency.
He said, “What we earn is open. I think we should put an end to this cheap
blackmail. It is sad and ridiculous when people give the impression that the
National Assembly budget has continued to be increased annually. This is not
correct. It is unwarranted and needless accusation.
“I make bold to say that the National Assembly under my
leadership was bold, courageous, steadfast and truly patriotic. We stood on the
side of the people, the truth ,
transparency and above all in the interest
of the nation.
“We were the first to make cut in our 2015 budget. People should appreciate
what we are doing. We tightened our belts more than any other ministry or
parastatal today. I can put my hand on my chest without fear of contradiction
to say we make a lot of sacrifices in our budgetary systems.”
Mark cautioned against reducing critical national matters to
politics and warned Nigerians against playing politics with serious national
issues like appropriations.
According to him, “With every sense of responsibility, in
2008, the National Assembly under my leadership was the first arm of government
to return N7bn unspent fund to the national treasury during late President
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration.
“Some people would have done otherwise but I remained a
patriotic and committed pan- Nigerian, ever determined to do my utmost best to
improve the lots of my country men and women.”
Credit: Punch
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