Senator Blasts Media Over NASS Recess Coverage

Following the recent backlash from Nigerians on the number of times the lawmakers in the 8th assembly have gone on recess, Sen. Foster Ogola representing Bayelsa West Senatorial district has blasted the media over the recess coverage.

In an interview with Naij.com, he said the media are majorly the problem why the public are angry about the salaries of the lawmakers.

He said: “you are the people misinforming the public. That we are not in plenary does not mean the work has stopped. Again, are people who are on leave not paid? Or they have to change the way the parliament works in Nigeria that will be different from other countries in the world.

“As i am talking to you, i have gone back to Abuja since after the recess to continue work but people do not understand. I am a member of the Public finance committee, they have just served me papers on what to do so i am working.

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“Plenary is suspended does not mean oversight work is not going on. You heard of people who were summoning EFCC chairman to appear for hearing by the Public Petitions committee. Are we not on recess?

“You are the people who are not educated enough to educate the public. The information is coming from you and not from members of the public.”

Sen. Ogola went ahead to explain that there are a certain number of days to sit in a year and the salaries are compiled by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

“We have a number of days we are to sit in the year, that is the law, that is the constitution. That is only sitting days, what of the other days of the year. Those who designed our salaries are mandated to do it.

“The Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission is there and if we are not working, how can a government body agree to pay us. Those are the people who regulate all the salaries of even the President.

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“What is the business of the salaries of the national assembly members to you the journalists. You have a budget of 4.3 trillion. The budget of the National Assembly is N120bn is 2.7 percent of that budget and you are not concerned with the remainder. You journalists are the culprits of this misinformation.

“Where its a public document, it is only the budget of the National Assembly members that is of concern to you people,” he said.

The lawmaker added that the 120 billion naira is not for only the National Assembly legislatures alone. He said that the National Assembly has a staff strength of almost 4,000 daily.

Some of these workers include the National Assembly Service Commission, The Public Complaints Commission, the NILS and thousands of workers doing research and promoting the man power of the staff and the legislatures research.

“You will document large amounts of naira and just believe that is the take home pay,” he concluded.

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