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Legislative aides petition EFCC, ICPC over unpaid ‘budgeted entitlements’

*Some aides to the Federal lawmakers in the National Assembly, Abuja, have written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ICPC over purported diversion of their entitlements with a view to bringing the culprits to book while ensuring prompt payment of their allowances and arrears

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Following alleged diversion of their budgeted legitimate entitlements, some legislative aides to the Federal lawmakers have written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over purported diversion of their entitlements by the Management of the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports some of the affected aides to the legislators, who staged separate peaceful protests at the headquarters of the two anti-graft agencies in Abuja, said the non-payment of their entitlements had turned them into “slaves” in their country.

Some of the NASS legislative aides during a recent protest in the Complex

Mr. Zebis Kekung and Mr Kingsley Ejekwu Esq for Concerned Legislative Aides signed the petition dated Monday, February 14, 2022, to the regulatory agencies

In the petition addressed to Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman of EFCC; and Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, ICPC Chairman, the legislative aides stated that they were also being owed Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), Minimum Wage Arrears from January 2020 and training programmes among others.

The petition stated: “The non-payment of these accumulated legitimate entitlements has turned legislative aides into legislative slaves.

“We have been pauperised to the extent that we are unable to meet our financial obligations like payment of school fees, hospital bills, house rents, debt servicing, putting us into several embarrassing situations.

“All avenues we employed in appealing to the consciences of Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, ‘Femi Gbajabiamila and the Clerk of the National Assembly, Amos Ojo have failed hence the last recourse to this petition.”

The letter equally stated: “It is instructive to note that legislative aides affairs are directly under the purview of the Speaker.

“We are, therefore, beseeching you to use your good office to investigate this criminal diversion of our budgeted legitimate entitlements, bring the culprits to book and ensure the prompt payment of the allowances and arrears to us.”

Holding banner and placards with various inscriptions, the aides called for transparency in the management of Legislative Aides’ account to avoid breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.

Some of the placards also read: “We are aides not slaves”, “Probe the Clerk to the National Assembly and NASS Presiding Officers for aides entitlement”, “NASS Management: Pay us our legitimate arrears and minimum wage”.

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