Enugu Governor Wants Salaries, Allowances Of NASS Members Published Publicly

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Thursday, October 8th, 2015

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has challenged members of the National Assembly NASS, to start making their earnings, such as salaries and allowances public.

The governor, who is a former member of the Federal House of Representatives gave the advice Wednesday while delivering the 55th inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka UNN.

According to him, such transparency was necessary considering that “there is still the nagging question on lack of transparency and accountability in the operations of the National Assembly”.

Ugwuanyi was a three-time member of the House of Representatives before he was elected governor under the platform of the opposition peoples Democratic party, PDP on May 29th 2015.

The governor, whose lecture was entitled: “Legislation as an Instrument for Social Justice in a Growing Democracy”, stated that the dominant view was that there is an urgent need for the National Assembly to open up its legislative process and financial transactions, particularly the salaries and allowances of members to the scrutiny and input of the public.

He expressed certainty that “this will go a long way in correcting the pervading and largely false impression that the assembly is a compromised institution, whose membership earn much and do so little”.

Ugwuanyi, identified the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act, 2011, (TETFund), as the most empowering legislation that had, from its coming into force, propelled the development of infrastructural and human material resources in tertiary institutions across the country.

“This singular legislation has more than anything else in this decade facilitated the achievement or the fulfilment of the second or third generation rights to education, which in turn provides the superstructure for socio-economic development.

“Reports of oversight visit to tertiary institutions from respective House Committees on education over the years show that more than sixty percent of physical infrastructure was and is still being driven by the funds accessed from TETFund”, he further stated.

The Governor equally noted that the myriads of challenges facing Nigeria, in the areas of security, poverty, unemployment, among others, “are not simply the fault of any specific government”, adding that “the causes are more fundamental and central to the ongoing debate on how to erect an enduring and inclusive development paradigm”.

He lauded the feat already attained by the University of Nigeria.

“The milestones, which have been attained and set by products of the University make me a proud alumnus of this institution”. he declared.