Coalition of organised labour and civil society organisations on Monday expressed disgust over the decision of the leadership of House of Representatives to procure Peugeot 508 for the lawmakers amid the lingering socio-economic crisis.
Meanwhile, Abdulrazak Namdas, chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs in a telephone interview, confirmed the delivery of 28 units of Peugeot 508 at the rate of N10 million each.
Namdas said 50 vehicles were expected to be delivered, while 22 were yet to be delivered, adding that the procurement was done before the recession.
He also denied knowledge of the N3 million variation requested by the supplier.
While reacting to the report on the delivery of 28 units of the Peugeot 508 series, Bobboi Kaigama, TUC President and Simeso Amachree, TUC Seceratry General in a statement obtained by BusinessDay described the decision of the House as “a misplaced priority.”
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Jaye Gaskiya, co-Convener of Say No Campaign, described the lawmakers as insensitive to the yearnings of the citizens and prevailing socio-economic crisis bedeviling the country.
While noting the CSOs cannot stop the ongoing procurement except through a Court ruling and when established that the procurement does not follow due process as stipulated in the Public Procurement Act with the view to ascertain whether there was a tender for the procurement or not.
“The question to ask is, when did the country go into recession? It was not at the beginning of this year because Nigerian economy has started experiencing dramatic decline over the past five years. The growth rate declined from about five percent to about two percent in 2014 before it finally slipped to -2 percent in 2016.
“So anybody that is patriotic and conscious of the prevailing economic hardship will not be thinking of luxury at this time!
“These same members got car loans and they are buying utility and constituency vehicles. This was done totally without taking to cognizance the present situation facing the citizens, so the argument that it was procured before recession does not hold water, but shows that they are greedy elite who do not care about Nigerians.”
To this end, the Congress urged President Muhammadu “to take up the issue as a challenge if it is really serious in its anti-corruption crusade.”
The TUC leaders who described the “ostentatious life of lawmakers and most politicians as the bane of the nation’s development,” observed that, “our system only favours the politicians and the wealthy more at the expense of the impoverished masses. These lawmakers are just too unreliable.
“They tell us to pray for the country while they revel in Abuja displaying their exotic cars! They collect constituency allowance but they do nothing for their constituencies and nobody questions them. This is not the way to go,” they insisted.
The TUC leaders, who expressed reservation over the inordinate attitude of the lawmakers toward the well-being of the citizenry, accused the political office holders of dampening the hope of the electorates.
“Our hope by the day is being dampened by some individuals and institutions under the present administration. We had received the administration with high hopes but the reverse has become the case in the last one and half years.
“Daily the masses of the country are wounded by the impunity, unfavourable policies and self-serving disposition of our leaders. Their frugalilty and prodigality at a time the economy is struggling with recession shows the peak of insensitivity of those said to be representing us and it must not be allowed to continue.
“Come to think of it, the retirees are dying in droves without collecting their pension, whereas billions of naira are paid to them after four years. They buy whatever they want to buy; their children attend school abroad, they live in Government Reservation Areas (GRAs) and enjoy all privileges, while more than 50 percent of the population have no gainful employment. Nobody cares about us!
While responding to the delay in the upward review of the N18,000 national minimum wage, the labour centre, urged government to as a matter of urgency come up with a living wage for workers. But our question remains: where lies the honour of our legislators?”
