Senate whip says 'holiday' of 2m naira, not unusual allowance, could move against Akpabio
Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume says there is no 'big deal' with Nigerian senators each receiving 2 million naira as recreation allowance.
>Mr. Ndume, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, also said that the sharing of a total of 218 million naira among the 109 senators to enjoy their holidays was nothing special.
After the selection and confirmation of ministerial candidates last Monday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio told senators that money had been credited to their bank accounts to take advantage of their vacation, which began on 7 August.
Mr Akpabio's statement was met with public criticism among Nigerians, although some of the senators later admitted that each of them received N2 million as allowance for seven weeks holiday , which will end on September 26.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the severance was illegal because it is not included in the compensation package approved by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Taxation Commission (RMAFC), the body authorized by the law to prepare the salaries and allowances of civil servants.< /p>
Mr. Ndume, who represents Borno North, criticized the Senate Speaker for leaking the details of vacation pay to the public, saying it was like an allowance an employee receives while on leave.
“It is common knowledge that if an employee goes on leave, they are entitled to leave pay. This is the money we received, and it is nothing unusual or special.
"All the senators received two million naira. And I make this comment with a heavy heart because he (Akpabio) is the cause of this controversy.
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“He created the impression that we were given special or huge sums of money. What is the problem if I get a two million naira allowance as a senator,” he said.
The Chief Whip said other senators planned to take drastic action against the Senate Speaker for revealing vacation pay details.
"He made a very bad statement, and I immediately warned him that his comments were unbecoming of an elder.
"In fact, we even plan to take drastic action against him if he continues to make unsupervised statements and act like we are children," Ndume said.
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Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume says there is no 'big deal' with Nigerian senators each receiving 2 million naira as recreation allowance.
>Mr. Ndume, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, also said that the sharing of a total of 218 million naira among the 109 senators to enjoy their holidays was nothing special.
After the selection and confirmation of ministerial candidates last Monday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio told senators that money had been credited to their bank accounts to take advantage of their vacation, which began on 7 August.
Mr Akpabio's statement was met with public criticism among Nigerians, although some of the senators later admitted that each of them received N2 million as allowance for seven weeks holiday , which will end on September 26.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the severance was illegal because it is not included in the compensation package approved by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Taxation Commission (RMAFC), the body authorized by the law to prepare the salaries and allowances of civil servants.< /p>
Mr. Ndume, who represents Borno North, criticized the Senate Speaker for leaking the details of vacation pay to the public, saying it was like an allowance an employee receives while on leave.
“It is common knowledge that if an employee goes on leave, they are entitled to leave pay. This is the money we received, and it is nothing unusual or special.
"All the senators received two million naira. And I make this comment with a heavy heart because he (Akpabio) is the cause of this controversy.
READ ALSO:
“He created the impression that we were given special or huge sums of money. What is the problem if I get a two million naira allowance as a senator,” he said.
The Chief Whip said other senators planned to take drastic action against the Senate Speaker for revealing vacation pay details.
"He made a very bad statement, and I immediately warned him that his comments were unbecoming of an elder.
"In fact, we even plan to take drastic action against him if he continues to make unsupervised statements and act like we are children," Ndume said.
Support PREMIUM TIMES integrity and credibility journalism Good journalism is very expensive. Yet only good journalism can guarantee the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy and a transparent government. For free and continued access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider your modest support of this noble endeavour.
TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT: Call Willie - +2348098788999
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