Dogara Challenges Governors to Disclose How Security Votes, Council Funds Are Spent

By John  Shiklam in Kaduna
 

The Speaker  of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, on Friday challenged state governors  to disclose how they spend security votes and the amount allocated to local governments.

Speaking at end of a retreat for the management of the National Assembly in Kaduna, Dogara who was reacting to earlier comments by Governor Nasir El-Rufai who challenged  the legislature to make its budget public also challenged  governors to publish how they utilise security votes and funds allocated to local governments in the spirit of accountability and transparency.

The speaker disclosed that already, the  bureaucracy had been directed to publish the National Assembly budget beginning from 2017.

“I will like to challenge him (El-rufai) to champion this cause for transparency in the budgetary process of the National Assembly to other arms of government.

“We want to see clearly how chief executives of states are paid. 

What do they spend monthly as security votes? And if they can publish what happens to local government funds under their jurisdictions. That will help our discussion going forward” the speaker said.

According to him, the  national assembly was  the most misunderstood institution in the country, stressing that no parliament in the world could win popularity contest and Nigeria’s National Assembly was not an exception.

“When, for instance, public discussions on funding of the legislature are being made, the entire bureaucracy is often completely discountenanced, neither is any consideration given to the fact that this is a special bureaucracy saddled with a multitude of ‘masters’ who must be equally served in addition to service to the nation” he said.

The Speaker stressed that  the Nigeria Civil Service will begin to record progress when it breaks away from its usual tradition to new ways of carrying out its functions and administration.