SERAP tells NASS to slash proposed budgets, address corruption in MDAs

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to cut the proposed N9.4 billion budget for travels, refreshment, and catering for the presidency, along with the N344.85 billion allocated for the National Assembly.

SERAP argues that savings from these reductions should be used to address Nigeria’s growing budget deficit.

In a letter dated December 21, 2024, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization called on the National Assembly to request President Bola Tinubu to present a supplementary appropriation bill reflecting reduced budgets for both the presidency and the legislature.

SERAP also demanded full disclosure of the breakdown of the National Assembly’s proposed budget, including personnel costs and lawmakers’ salaries and allowances.

SERAP described the proposed expenditures as unnecessary and not in the public interest, especially given Nigeria’s dire economic situation and high levels of borrowing to fund the 2025 budget. “The proposed spending figures highlight a lack of political will to cut the cost of governance,” the letter read.

The presidency has allocated N8.74 billion for local and international trips for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2025.

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This includes N7 billion for the President’s travel expenses and N1.7 billion for the Vice President’s. Additionally, both offices plan to spend N546 million on catering and N71 million on refreshment.

The letter also noted a significant increase in the presidency’s budget for the rehabilitation of fixed assets, rising from N14 billion in 2024 to N26 billion in 2025, a hike of N12 billion.

SERAP urged Akpabio and Abbas to ensure transparency by inviting heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) implicated in the 2021 Auditor-General’s report to account for missing billions in public funds.

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“It is a grave violation of public trust and constitutional responsibilities for lawmakers to approve unnecessary spending while failing to address systemic corruption in MDAs,” the letter stated.

SERAP warned it would pursue legal action if the National Assembly fails to revise the proposed budgets and implement measures to cut wasteful expenditures.

The group emphasized excessive spending on luxuries by public officials, especially during an economic crisis.