The House of Representatives has denied the claims of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) that its members received N100 million each as palliative from the executive arm.
The National Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Christopher Onyeka, in an interview with Punch newspaper, said the Congress will embark on another strike over the government’s inability to provide palliatives to the masses, but gave the National Assembly 70 billion of naira with each member. receiving 100 million naira.
“Can you see the insult of a ward sharing a bag of rice and the government calling it a palliative? “It is an insult to Nigerians while the government gave legislators N70 billion and each of the legislators receives over N100 million in a country where Nigerians are suffering,” Onyeka said.
The Senate has 109 members while the House has 360 members.
But the Speaker of the House, Akin Rotimi (APC, Ekiti), denied the claim, stating that it is malicious and false for members of the National Assembly to have received N100 million each.
“We categorically state that Mr Onyeka lied when he claimed that members of the National Assembly received N100 million as palliatives. For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did members of the House of Representatives receive money from the executive arm as a palliative. Therefore, we consider this statement as malicious, irresponsible and in bad faith,” he stated.
Newslodge reported that the National Assembly secured N70 billion in the supplementary budget to “improve the working conditions of its new members.”
This newspaper did not report how the legislature spent the money.
As is usual, the National Assembly also did not provide a breakdown of the money or what they intended to use it for.
Rotimi did not provide the breakdown of the money or address the issues raised by the NLC; instead, he demanded a public apology from the NLC.
“Accordingly, the House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigerian Labor Congress. “The NLC, as a critical player in Nigeria’s development, has a voice and risks delegitimizing it if it is found to include fables in its legitimate agitations,” he stated.
He noted that the National Assembly approved the Executive’s request for funds to support vulnerable groups.
“We wish to remind the NLC and indeed all Nigerians that in less than 100 days during the tenure of the 10th Assembly, we have demonstrated our commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and all Nigerians.
“Apart from other measures, the House of Representatives swiftly took necessary legislative action on the request of the executive arm of government to approve palliative funds for Nigerians.
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“We have also consistently advocated for the Executive to expedite these palliative measures to reach vulnerable Nigerians effectively and efficiently, just as we have added our voices to the call for an immediate review of the minimum wage,” he said.
Last week, the NLC embarked on a two-day warning strike to protest the scathing effect of the fuel subsidy removal.